Study to Evaluate an Automated Bar Code Reader and Electronic Transmitter Device for Workload Reporting from DENTAC to Central Processing Facilities (Bar Code-Den).

摘要

The overall purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of an automatic bar code reader and transmission device. An existing Uniform Chart of Accounts bar code medical system operating at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was modified to accept dental workload by the Health Care Systems Support Agency (HCSSA). A three month test was conducted of the test system and compared to the manual dental workload system for time required to prepare reports, accuracy, and user acceptance. The bar code method required 27 percent less time than the manual method and was very well accepted by users. There were tremendous discrepancies between reports and an on-site audit revealed that the manual system was more accurate than the bar code system. The exact reason for the consistent underreporting error was never found. It was recommended that the bar code system tested not be adopted for use in the dental care system.