Interest in the Omaha System is Expanding Across North Dakota

Aug. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- WHAT IS THE OMAHA SYSTEM?
According the omahasystem.org web site the Omaha System is a research-based, comprehensive practice and documentation standardized taxonomy or classification designed to document client care from admission to discharge. The Omaha System consists of three relational, reliable, and valid components designed to be used together:
•   Problem Classification Scheme (client assessment)
•   Intervention Scheme (care plans and services)
•   Problem Rating Scale for Outcomes (client change/evaluation)

WHO USES IT TODAY?
The http://www.omahasystem.org site states that current users represent the continuum of care; their location, size, organization, type of services, and type of employees are increasingly diverse. Approximately 9000 multidisciplinary practitioners, educators, and researchers use Omaha System point-of-care software in the United States and other countries. About 2000 more practitioners use paper-and-pen records.  The number and type of computer software vendors who offer automated Omaha System clinical information systems continue to grow rapidly.

The structure of the Omaha System allows meaningful aggregation and use of data collected. The move to EHR’s means being able to aggregate data to measure outcomes and for research, is more important than ever, resulting in an increased interest in the Omaha System. When budget cuts are hitting local government, it is even more important for local Health Departments to show outcomes for the services they provide.

In response to the wave of interest, several workshops on the Omaha System are being held in North Dakota, as well as in Minnesota and Pennsylvania in September. The workshops are listed on the Omaha System web site.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO NORTH DAKOTA
Paula Flanders, Public Health Director for Bismarck-Burleigh said “Bismarck Burleigh Public Health chose Champ because we were looking for an electronic health record which would fit our needs, programs and work flow; we did not have to adjust our work process into an offered structure. We wanted the program to be web based so it worked for all of our programs, including home health and schools. Our staff wanted to get away from duplicate documentation for charting and billing. We were also looking for a way to collect outcomes, including for community based programs, and BBPH found the Omaha System and Nightingale Notes is able to meet all of these needs.”

Champ Software’s web-based product, Nightingale Notes, integrates the Omaha System classification scheme into the clinician’s workflows. More information about the Nightingale Notes product is available at http://www.champsoftware.com.

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