Public Health Providers\u27 Perceptions of Electronic Health Records in a Disaster

The introduction of federal initiatives and incentives regarding health information technology fostered a movement towards the adoption of electronic health records (EHR). Implementation of EHRs sparked discussions among healthcare providers, patients, and others about the benefits or challenges of the move from the traditional paper method to the electronic version in healthcare settings. A knowledge gap in research involving the usefulness of EHRs and their impact to the delivery of care in other settings exists. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore public health providers\u27 perceptions of the meaningful use of EHRs in a disaster setting. Study participants were public health providers from Louisiana recruited via criterion sampling and snowball sampling. A qualitative, phenomenological design was used to gain understanding of the public health providers\u27 experiences with and perceptions of EHRs in a disaster setting. Data were collected from 7 public health providers using in-depth interviews and reflective journal notes. The data were analyzed for patterns and themes using the hermeneutic circle method. The study findings indicate that individuals want to be involved in designing their system and adjusting workflow in the workplace setting. The majority of participants concluded that EHR systems are beneficial in the disaster setting, but there were no impacts to improving health outcomes. The findings provide policymakers, public health departments, healthcare providers, emergency managers, and communities needed information on the potential impact of EHRs in the disaster setting on improving safe and effective care

Individual and community characteristics associated with premature natural and drug-related deaths in 25-59 year old decedents.

The purpose of the study was to identify circumstances of death, disease states, and sociodemographic characteristics associated with premature natural and drug-related deaths among 25-59 year olds. The study also aimed to address the paucity of research on personal, community-based, and societal factors contributing to premature death. A population-based retrospective chart review of medical examiner deaths within a highly populated and ethnically diverse county [in Texas] was undertaken to identify individuals dying prematurely and circumstances surrounding cause of death [in 2013]. The sample data (n = 1282) allowed for analysis of decedent demographic variables as well as community characteristics. Descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic regression, and geospatial analyses were used to test for associations between the type of death (natural or drug-related) and demographics, circumstances of death, disease types and community characteristics. Census tract data were used to determine community characteristics. Highly clustered premature deaths were concentrated in areas with low income and under-educated population characteristics. Two-thirds of decedents whose death were due to disease had not seen a healthcare provider 30 days before death despite recent illness manifestations. Opioids were found in 187 (50.5%) of the drug-related deaths, with 92.5% of deaths by opioids occurring in combination with other substances. The study findings went beyond the cause of death to identify circumstances surrounding death, which present a more comprehensive picture of the decedent disease states and external circumstances. In turn, these findings may influence the initiation of interventions for medically underserved and impoverished communities