Standardized Note Templates Improve Electronic Medical Record Documentation of Neurovascular Examinations for Pediatric Supracondylar Humeral Fractures

BACKGROUND: Optimization of the electronic medical record (EMR) is essential to support the clinician and to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care. The present report describes the development and implementation of a standardized template that is embedded in the EMR and is focused on a comprehensive physical examination during the evaluation of pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures. We compared the completeness of physical examinations as well as the timing of detection and documentation of neurovascular injuries before and after implementation of the template. We hypothesized that the use of a template would increase the completeness of examinations and would lead to earlier documentation of neurovascular injuries. METHODS: A multidisciplinary quality-improvement task force was created to address neurovascular documentation practices for patients who underwent operative treatment of supracondylar humeral fractures. Following a series of formative and process evaluations, a standardized EMR template was implemented. Neurovascular examination documentation practices that were in use before (pre-template group, n = 224) and after (template group, n = 300) the implementation of the template were compared. Logistic regression analyses of the 2 groups were used to compare the likelihood of a complete neurovascular examination and the timing of neurovascular injury identification. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in the documentation of the vascular (odds ratio [OR], 70.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 39.5 to 126.6; p < 0.0001), motor (OR, 17.6; 95% CI, 9.5 to 32.7; p < 0.0001), and sensory (OR, 23.9; 95% CI, 12.9 to 44.4; p < 0.0001) examinations in the template group. Neurological injuries were more likely to be identified preoperatively in the template group compared with the pre-template group (OR, 6.8; 95% CI, 1.7 to 27.1; p = 0.0067). CONCLUSIONS: The incorporation of a standardized template in the EMR improved the completeness and timing of documentation of neurological injury. Standardized EMR templates developed by a clinically driven multidisciplinary task force have the potential to improve the quality of clinical documentation and to ease communication among providers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.