eP86 Improving NELA Risk Documentation with EPIC Electronic Medical Records

Identifying and extracting data from medical records can be difficult and time consuming. This can serve as a barrier to clinicians calculating a risk assessment score for patients undergoing emergency laparotomy.

The EPIC electronic patient records system enables clinicians to develop ‘Smartphrases’ to identify and extract specific data from a patient’s medical record. We developed a Smartphrase to identify the data required to calculate a NELA Parsimonious Risk Score in order to make risk calculation easier and more efficient.

A closed loop audit was conducted. Documentation of risk scores in patient notes or consent forms was observed between November 2022 to February 2023. The NELA Smartphrase was developed and publicised. Documentation of risk scoring was subsequently observed between September 2023 to September 2024. Data was analysed using a one-tailed test.

42 NELA cases were retrospectively identified in the first cycle. 18/42 (42.9%) patients had a documented NELA score. 175 NELA cases were prospectively identified in the second cycle. Following introduction of the Smartphrase, 148/175 (84.6%) patients had a documented score. Introduction of the NELA Smartphrase significantly increased risk score documentation (p<0.0001).

This closed-loop audit demonstrates that EPIC electronic patient records can aid clinicians in calculating and documenting risk assessments for NELA patients. This tool improves efficiency and can help trusts achieve best practice tariff. This tool can be shared beyond our trust.