BestPractice Advisories (BPAs) can be extremely effective at alerting clinicians of potential negative consequences when configured correctly. BPAs should display a clear message to the appropriate end user at the right time and in the proper workflow. However, in order to function correctly, your system should follow the Four Rights of BPAs: message, user, time, and workflow. How can you be sure that BPAs are recognized by your end users as useful messages rather than extraneous clutter they end up ignoring?
In their 2014 version, Epic introduced a reporting tool called the BPA Cube that allows for quick and easy analysis of BPA data. If you are concerned about the quality of your BPAs, your first step is to ensure that this tool has been set up. By using the BPA Cube, you will be able to analyze your BPAs across all users to determine which alerts stand out as candidates for a deeper review and potential redesign, or if those alerts require deletion. Coordinating that deeper review with operational leadership is key to ensuring the Four Rights of BPAs.
Improving existing BPAs is important, but without some governance around how these records are maintained and created, you may soon find yourself right back where you started. For example, your alerts may occur whenever a request is submitted with little analysis of appropriateness or review of existing build. Managing of alerts require stricter guidelines where necessary and continued monitoring via the BPA Cube. Assessing your organization's BPA request, approval, build, and testing processes is key to ensuring your BPAs remain the useful clinical tools they were meant to be.
Next Steps:
We understand the need to keep alerts to a minimum number of useful, timely messages directed at the appropriate people at the right time. Our experienced Epic experts can conduct the assessment noted above efficiently and effectively, providing you with recommendations that will help you achieve that goal. For more details on the low-cost, short-term analysis CereCore provides, please email us at info@cerecore.net or call us at 855.276.9112.
