DAYTON, Ohio - Determined to set the stage for successful implementation of its EMR this year, Knox Community Hospital (KCH) of Mount Vernon, Ohio teamed with Standard Register (NYSE: SR) Healthcare to design an enterprise documentation management strategy to drive standardization, and manage the documentation content and workflows that exist outside of the EMR.

"As we planned our EMR implementation, it became clear that we needed a seamless way to manage all the unstructured data that's collected throughout a patient's stay if we were to realize the full benefits of our EMR investment. Standard Register provided the expertise and technology to enable us to effectively manage the hybrid environment and accelerate our speed to value," said Kwi Holland, KCH vice president of information systems.

Standard Register Healthcare consolidated, standardized and migrated nearly 700 preprinted forms to a digital format, uploading them into SMARTworks Clinical Enterprise which is the engine that delivers the right form to the right person at the right time. It provides KCH with:

• A centralized library of e-forms for easy access and version control management
• On-demand printing of patient demographics and bar codes directly on forms
• Automated kitting of forms
• A digital downtime solution to print barcoded forms, wristbands and order sets for admissions and care

The fully integrated enterprise documentation management system has enabled KCH to reduce variability of documentation and improve coordination of care. It has also enhanced enterprise efficiency, freeing clinicians of cumbersome, paper-based processes that divert time from patient care and streamlining downstream scanning with the elimination of manual indexing.

Standardization of enterprise documentation is a major challenge for hospitals and a primary focus for Standard Register Healthcare, according to John King, president of Standard Register Healthcare. "Only with standardized documentation and technology-enabled processes can healthcare providers achieve meaningful use of information and improve the quality of care," King said.