Computer Templates in Chronic Kidney Disease Care: A Tool for Improving Patient Management

Templates are custom screens that physicians can use within many practice management systems to offer a more relevant and efficient form for viewing and entering patient information. The ability to customize and effectively use a template increases the physician's ability to avoid medical errors, increase quality, promote efficiency, and have a higher level of satisfaction and accomplishment when managing patients. They enable physicians and practices to collect structured data that can be used to track patient data, analyze systems, and assist in research and quality improvement. We argue that templates hold the potential to increase the efficiency and quality of medical care, especially in the management of patients with chronic kidney disease, and that physicians should embrace customizing the templates in their medical practice management systems.

Index Words: Electronic health record, Practice management systems, Templates, Physician computer interface, Electronic health record customization