Paper Disposition at Skyline Family Practice
Disposition of paper that comes into the practice is critical for several reasons:
- Paper related to patients affects their care directly
- Paper takes time to process
- Paper takes up precious space
It is our goal to reduce paper as much as possible at Skyline Family Practice.  This policy may change with time as we get better at this!  A "chain of custody"  is important to processing paper:
- Many forms of paper require physician review and action critical to patient care
- Once action has been taken and the paper has acted upon and entered into the electronic chart, it is destroyed
- It is very important for the person in the chain of custody to make sure the prior person has initialed off the paper!!
Type of Incoming Paper

MD
review?

Where in EMR Disposition (Chain of Custody) Who?
ER Reports Y Progress Notes (use Template for entry) MD->ST->PAC->30d Folder MD,ST,Billing
X-Rays Y Xrays/Special Studies MD->N->ST->30 D Folder MD,N,ST, FRT
Procedure Notes Y Procedures MD->ST-> 30D Folder MD,ST,FRT
Special Studies Y Special Studies MD->N->ST->30D Folder MD,N,ST
IMMUNIZATIONS N (since direct order) INJECTIONS/IMMUNIZATIONS MD(order)->N(input) MD,N
Consults Y Consults MD->Nurse (action)->ST->30d Folder MD, Nurse, ST
Admission H&P's / Discharge Summaries Y Discharge Summaries MD->ST->30D Folder MD->ST
Other Faxed Reports/Info Y (if directed) Depends (to ST if needed) MD (or other staff)->30d Folder All
Laboratory Values
PML Labs Y Lab VIA INTERFACE Send Normal Letter - NURSE TO GENERATE - MD TO SIGN
SIGN RE: LETTERS
MD, Nurse
  Problems: different modes of communication patients calling back  patient expectations of call back N to call MD, Nurse
MD to call MD, Nurse
MD->Nurse->30d Folder->Discard MD, Nurse
Non-PML lab Y   MD->Nurse?->30d Folder->Discard  MD, Nurse
In house - CBC, U/A Y Lab (logged) MD->Nurse?->30d Folder MD, Nurse
Hospital Lab / Other Lab Y Lab MD to decide if logged and may discard ->Nurse to log (possibly act on this)->30d Folder MD, Nurse?
OLD Medical Records from Other Doctors Disposition depends on Items                  
Progress Notes Y MD may elect to discard medically worthless information PAPER Chart not Discarded MD, Nurse
  old records are never discarded BY ANY STAFF (OTHER THAN THE MD); unless the patient doesn't want them.  The patient will be called by FRT staff and asked if they want the information
Admission H&P's, Discharges Y MD may direct FRT file or --> MD->ST MD, FRT, ST
Labs Y MD may discard* - other wise MD->N MD, N
IMMUNIZATIONS Y INJECTIONS/IMMUNIZATIONS & HEALTH MAINTENANCE
Nurse must enter both
SAVE OLD SHEET
NOT DISCARDED  
Consent Forms Y Paper Chart->?future Section NURSE/Patient -> MD->Paper Chart MD,N,FRT
Living Wills/DPOA/AMD Y Paper Chart->?future MD->FRT MD, FRT
Demographic Info N Some in paper FRT FRT
Truth-in-Lending statement N Paper Chart FRT FRT
EKG (outside) Y EKG MD->ST (notation in EKG section) MD,ST
EKG (Brentwood) Y (includes pre-ops) EKG (Typed by MD) Disposal immediately or given to patient
NOTE: MD must review first
MD,N
KEY to Personnel
MD = Physician
N = Nurse
ST = Scanning technician
FRT=Front Office Staff