Merging Clinical Decision Support and Electronic Health Record Systems

TRACK: OEM Clinical Practice

Philip Harber, MD, MPH, FCCP, FACOEM, Harber, PLLC, Tucson, AZ
Robert K. McLellan, MD, MPH, FAAFP, FACOEM, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
Carrie A. Redlich, MD, MPH, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

Empowering electronic health record (EHR) systems by embedding clinical decision support systems (CDS) will automatically provide just-in-time occupational health expertise, monitor clinician and patient use of recommended standards, and facilitate workflow. NIOSH requested input about potential systems for primary care from groups convened by ACOEM, AOEC, and ATS. This session summarizes recommendations for 3 common problems: back pain (unrelated to a work-related injury) return to work, diabetes, and work-related asthma. Presenters will discuss potential obstacles and future innovative approaches such as AI and natural language processing. CDS systems can scan the information in the EHR and automatically generate recommendations, provide necessary knowledge, monitor compliance with recommendations, and encourage occupational medicine specialty referral when appropriate. The session will also illustrate potential benefits of merging CDS and RHT systems in occupational clinics. CDS-EHR approaches will have immediate and long-term implications for both OM clinics and for delivering occupational health services in non-specialty clinics. Attendees will gain both immediately useful and longer-term insights