Tasking
Tasking, as it relates to an EHR, is the practice of using a software solution to distribute work function items to members of a medical organization.
Tasking enables an office to become more efficient at many tasks by adding a level of accountability, as well as, the ability to audit task completion. Electronic tasking, although more robust, is often referred to as replacing "sticky notes." Some of the advanced functionality of tasking would typically include task priority, overdue notification, notify upon completion, and future tasks.
Some key elements of EHR that utilize tasking are:
- Verifying results
- Signing/verifying documents or transcriptions
- Routing patient questions and triage communications
- Peer to peer communication; direct access all system users (depending on Org settings)
- Alerting clinical staff of actions that need to be performed for patients
- Notifying providers, billing folks of charge related issues
Tasks can be created via the system (automatically) and/or by the user (manually) and can contain the following properties:
- Individual or team name
- Status (e.g. Active, In Progress, Complete etc...)
- Priority (e.g. Routine, ASAP, Urgent)
- Activation and Due Dates
- Comments (either free text or text templates)
When reviewing tasks from the task list, there are several buttons available to aid the user/team in working their tasks. The columns in the task list can also be sorted A-Z or Z-A by clicking each column header.
Sometimes people refer to tasks as having "disappeared", however tasks don't typically disappear. Instead it is more likely that a task has been removed from a view. To find it would entail adding the task type back to the view or setting up a new view.