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Run Date: OCT 04, 2002                     Designation: OR*3*156
Package : OR - ORDER ENTRY/RESULTS REPORTING Priority: Mandatory
Version : 3       SEQ #145                       Status: Released
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Subject: DISTRIBUTION OF NATIONAL TEMPLATES--INFORMATIONAL PATCH

Category: 
  - Informational

Description: 
============

 PURPOSE:
 ========
 This informational patch announces a new process for distributing national
 standardized templates.
  
 Based on recommendations in the VHA Revenue Cycle Improvement Plan, a 
 National Template/Encounter Form Task Force was created to issue 
 standardized documentation templates to the field.  The Task Force will
 distribute new template announcements through Outlook using the existing
 CPRS ListServ. Each announcement will contain a brief explanation of the 
 template and a link to the Health Information Management (HIM) web site 
 listed below:
  
 http://vaww.va.gov/health/him/VHA_Clinical_Care_files/VHA_Physicians_Resou
 rce_Page.htm
  
 The web site will also provide a list of all available national templates
 and associated narrative guidance.  To make it easy to find the templates,
 the CPRS and TIU home pages will each have a link to the HIM web site.
  
  
 BACKGROUND:
 ==========     
 The National Template/Encounter Form Task Force has developed national 
 standardized templates to support quality documentation that accurately 
 reflects a patient visit, supports the revenue cycle, is user friendly, is
 efficient, and meets compliance criteria.  Use of national templates will
 assist all VA sites in meeting the challenges outlined in the Under
 Secretary's information letter of January 30, 2002 for full implementation
 of the electronic record and the challenges of improving each site's
 revenue.
  
 FACILITY RESPONSIBILITY:
 ======================== 
 Each VA site should ensure that key staff have subscribed to receive CPRS
 ListServ messages and identify one clinical application coordinator (CAC)
 to import the templates using the TIU template editor in CPRS GUI. Before
 they are put into production accounts, the templates should be imported
 into the test account and tested. Each site is encouraged to further
 enhance the templates by inserting local patient data objects if desired.
  
 STANDARDIZED NATIONAL TEMPLATES:
 ================================
 Standardized templates will be developed to address documentation 
 compliance issues with regard to the following disciplines:
 o   Mental Health (MH)
 o   Primary Care (PC)
 o   Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR)
 o   Acute and Extended Care History & Physical (AECHP)
 o   Attending Notes (AN)
 o   Eye Care (EYE)
 o   Surgical Care (SU)
  
 A multidisciplinary team of both content experts (compliance officers,
 HIMS staff, coders, and health care providers), as well as technical
 experts (CACs) with hands on template building experience, developed each 
 set of templates.  The Clin II staff, CPRS developers and the National
 HIMS office provided support for this effort. Multiple VA sites field
 tested the template dialogs.
  
 NAMING CONVENTIONS:
 ==================
 Template names use the prefix:  VA*XX  (VA* to indicate they were 
 developed by a national advisory group; XX to represent the discipline,
 such as an MH for Mental Health).  Template names are in mixed case.
  
 Template field names are of two types: 
 1.      Generic template fields which are prefixed VA* 
 2.      Template fields which are discipline specific, such as the Primary
 Care template: prefixed VA*PC

Routine Information:
====================

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User Information:                               
Entered By  : DEFA,TANA                      Date Entered : AUG 19, 2002
Completed By: MERRILL,DAVID P              Date Completed: SEP 27, 2002
Released By : FROMMATER,RANDY               Date Released : OCT 04, 2002
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Packman Mail Message:
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