Stephanie Johnson

Key Insights

1. Physicians follow a specific documentation sequence on day-of-surgery:

First: Verify H&P was completed within 30 days, or perform one before the patient enters the OR
Then: Attest that H&P remains accurate with no changes since completion
Next: Sign orders accelerated by nursing staff
Finally: Document procedure details, findings, technique, and outcomes

2. Physicians expect their own workspace—separate from nursing Across all interviews, physicians expressed a strong preference for dedicated documentation space. They're accustomed to this pattern from other EHR systems and want to see only what requires their action. As one surgeon put it: "I just need to find my op note and get out."

3. The operative note must be easily findable The op note is physicians' most critical artifact. Co-mingling it within nursing workflows made it difficult to locate, causing frustration and inefficiency.

4. Terminology matters: "Physician" is safest While exploring alternative labels like "Surgeon" or "Proceduralist," we learned that vocabulary carries professional implications. Some physicians who perform procedures but aren't surgeons found "Proceduralist" offensive. Since competitors use "Physician," we decided to maintain consistency.

stephaniejohnsonux@gmail.com

(510) 387-6827