National Spine Network

Functional Capabilities

SpineChart was designed by spine care providers for use in their own practices. Recognizing that no two practices are identical and that physicians within a practice differ, SpineChart was designed so that individual physicians can customize it for their own needs. NSN also recognizes that spine care physicians have different motivations for their interest in automating their practices.

Before you can assess whether SpineChart is right for you, you need to understand its functional capabilities:

1. Automate the initial interview process for new patients
   SpineChart’s patient interview automates the collection of the information that would normally be collected from the patient using a paper intake form and during the first ten minutes of your new patient interview. SpineChart allows patients to enter this data themselves, using wireless, touch screen technology, and then presents this information to you either with a paper report or on a computer screen.
2. Provide trend information for established patients
   If your patients complete a SpineChart patient interview on their follow-up visits, you will be able to review their progress. SpineChart compares the patient’s pain and functional status from their first, last and current visits and provides you with the trend data before you see the patient. The SpineChart trend report for established patients also includes the results from their last physical examination and their previous treatment plan. This information allows you to re-familiarize yourself with the patient’s status without thumbing through the patient’s entire chart.
3. Collect clinical data
   SpineChart provides an easy to learn, menu-based system for entering all of your clinical findings and treatment plan. SpineChart’s clinical data entry has been designed specifically for the busy spine care provider. SpineChart requires that only the pertinent positives be entered. It allows you to specify your most frequently used diagnoses, medications and treatment plans and makes selecting them easy and quick. You can also add comments either by typing them or by using a voice recognition system like IBM’s ViaVoice or Dragon Naturally Speaking.
   Today most physicians dictate their entire chart note themselves. SpineChart allows you to “de-skill” this task so that your clinical staff can enter most or all of the information required to generate a comprehensive, professional chart note and referral letter without the need for expensive and time consuming dictation.
   In addition, SpineChart’s flexibility allows you to decide who, how, what and when the clinical information should be recorded. For example; you, or an assistant, can enter the data during the patient encounter or you can use a paper template during the encounter and have the data entered either after each patient is seen or at the end of the day by a subordinate.
4. Automate the production of your documentation
   SpineChart automatically generates your office documentation in Microsoft WORD format. The documents can be printed for filing in the patient’s chart and/or stored electronically. In either case your documentation can be completed on the same day as the patient encounter.
   SpineChart can generate your:
   • Chart notes for both new and established patients
   • Pre-Operative History and Physical report
   • Injection Procedure notes
   • Referring physician letters
   • Surgical Summary (similar to your Op Note, but created for your own records)
5. Collect outcomes data directly from your patients
   NSN’s Surgical Outcomes Program is already included in SpineChart and you can use it even if you do not choose to submit your data to the NSN Spine Outcomes Registry. Or, SpineChart can be used to create your own outcomes program.
6. Produce a database of all your surgeries;
   SpineChart allows you to create your own database with clinical information describing you surgeries.
7. Use SpineChart’s Reporting System to analyze your own data.
   SpineChart includes a comprehensive reporting system that allows you to analyze your own data.
8. Submit your outcomes data to the NSN Spine Outcomes Registry.
   Membership in SCRC not only includes a license to use SpineChart, it also includes membership in NSN’s Spine Outcomes Registry. SpineChart allows you to collect both patient and clinical outcomes data and send them electronically to NSN.
9. Opportunity to participate in future multi-center paperless studies or trials.
   NSN already provides clinical trial sponsors with a network of research oriented physicians for their studies or trials. SpineChart reduces both the start-up time and operational costs of studies. SCRC will enhance NSN’s abilities to support clinical trials by also providing trial sponsors with a large network of community-based physicians who are already trained in electronic patient outcomes data collection.

SpineChart can provide you with any or all of these capabilities. Now it’s important to understand what benefits you can expect from implementing SpineChart in your practice.