‘It captures information in real time’: Yoga laptop makes documenting more accurate

It may look like an average laptop, but a new device at Providence Care is changing the way front line staff and managers, who work in the community, document client information.

“Working in the community is very different than working on an inpatient unit at the hospital or in a clinic,” explained Terry Landry, Regional Director for Community Adult Mental Health.

“Staff visit clients all over Kingston and in rural areas, and that model of coming back to the office at the end of the day and recording information in a chart isn’t a best practice.”

Thanks to funding from the South East Local Health Integration Network (SE LHIN), Providence Care purchased 125 convertible laptop/tablets for its community programs.

Known as a Yoga laptop, the device connects to the organization’s clinical record software, EMHware, allowing staff to document client information anytime, anywhere.

“It’s quicker, it’s easier and it captures information in real time,” said David Guthrie, a community program manager with Providence Care. “Staff can talk to clients, document on the go and save information in EMHware.”

Guthrie added that capturing in real time ensures better client care, because information won’t get lost in translation or forgotten.

“Clients can have their thoughts, inputs, whatever they’re feeling at the time with the clinician, recorded more accurately because it’s being done in real time.”

And to help keep that information confidential, Guthrie said all staff use smart phones to access the internet safely.

“We don’t want to use a Wi-Fi signal that other people can access, so through the hotspot on the iPhone, we can access what we need to securely.”

Moving forward, Landry said the goal is to use the Yoga for more than just documenting.  Providence Care Community Programs serve thousands of clients across the region and coming to Kingston for appointments can be difficult.  Landry said that’s where the Yoga comes in.

“If you live in Sharbot Lake, a social worker in Sharbot Lake would bring the Yoga to your home,” Landry explained. “We can use the Ontario Telehealth Network to set up a secure and confidential network and that client can have a clinical interview with someone at Providence Care on the device.”

Providence Care has more than 20 community outreach services in aging, mental health and rehabilitative care across southeastern Ontario.