Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2018

DOI

10.4085/1304377

Publication Title

Athletic Training Education Journal

Volume

13

Issue

4

Pages

390-391

Conference Name

Athletic Training Educators' Conference, February 15-17, 2019, Grapevine Texas

Abstract

Context: Health information technology (HIT) is becoming ubiquitous in health care, so it is essential to ensure professional athletic training students (ATSs) are gaining exposure to the concepts of HIT throughout their clinical experiences. Research has demonstrated that when ATSs observe patient encounters (PEs) they are less likely to implement HIT; however, it is still unclear how or to what extent ATSs are incorporating concepts of HIT during individual PEs. Objective: To assess whether ATSs are integrating concepts of HIT during PEs as part of their clinical experiences. Design: Multisite, panel design. Setting: Convenience sample of 3 Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education-accredited professional athletic training programs (2 baccalaureate, 1 postbaccalaureate). Patients or Other Participants: Fifty-eight ATSs (39 females, 18 males, 1 missing) at 53 clinical sites (28 college/university, 25 secondary school) entered 1319 PEs (539 pediatric patients, 775 adult patients, 5 missing). Data Collection and Analysis: Following a formal training session by the research team, ATSs used E*Value software to track PEs during their clinical experiences in the 2018 spring semester. Variables collected per PE included student role (observed, assisted, performed), setting (college/university, secondary school), and body region of diagnosis (upper extremity, lower extremity, head/face, trunk, general medical, nonspecific). Athletic training students were also asked to report if 2 components of HIT occurred during each PE. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize characteristics of the PEs. Chi-square tests, pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni corrections, and Mann-Whitney U tests (P < .05) were used to assess group differences. Phi correlations (Φ) were used to estimate the strength of relationships between the inclusion of components of core competencies during PEs. Results: During PEs, ATSs reported they documented information obtained from the encounter in an electronic health record (EHR) or electronic medical record (EMR) during 19.7% of encounters (260 of 1319). However, they reported they used information from the EHR/EMR to assist with clinical decision making during only 4.5% of PEs (60 of 1319). Athletic training students reported they did not include the concepts of HIT during 77.1% of PEs (1017 of 1319). They reported the use of HIT more frequently if the encounter occurred in the collegiate setting (33.8%) than the high school setting (7.1%, P < .01). There were no significant differences by body region (P = .45) or student role (P = .70) regarding the use of HIT. There were positive, weak correlations between the use of HIT and other core competencies. Athletic training students who reported the use of HIT during a PE also tended to report the use of patient-centered care (Φ = .36, P < .01), interprofessional education (Φ = .29, P < .01), evidence-based practice (Φ = .23, P < .01), and quality improvement (Φ = .36, P < .01). Conclusions: Components of HIT are being incorporated in only about a quarter of PEs that occur during clinical experiences, and are more likely to be included in PEs that occur at the collegiate setting. Programs should emphasize the importance of HIT to ensure athletic training students are gaining experience completing high-quality patient care documentation via an EHR/EMR and using real-time patient data to inform their clinical decisions.

Rights

© 2018 National Athletic Trainers' Association.

Included with the kind written permission of the copyright holder and the author.

Comments

A part of: Athletic Training Educators' Conference, February 15-17, 2019, Grapevine, Texas.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.4085/1304377

ORCID

0000-0003-3171-9141 (Cavallario), 0000-0002-6754-7938 (Van Lunen)

Original Publication Citation

Welch Bacon, C. E., Walker, S. E., Cavallario, J. M., Bay, R. C., & Van Lunen, B. L. (2018). 8893: Athletic training student application of health information technology during clinical education: A report from the Athletic Training Clinical Education Network. Athletic Training Education Journal, 13(4), 390-391. https://doi.org/10.4085/1304377

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