Processing time for an online geriatric assessment tool

An online assessment system was developed as part of a geriatric profiling service. To examine efficiency, the information processing approach was compared with the conventional, paper-based assessment system. Ten cases in each group were studied. The median direct processing time was 43 min for manual assessment and 37 min for online assessment (P < 0.01). Time savings in online assessment were due to reduced processing time by nurses (elimination of manual preparation of the report) and administrators (no walking to the ward to collect assessments, more rapid communication through an alert system with reporting geriatricians). There were no time savings for the geriatricians. The median time taken (during working hours) from completion of the assessment by the nurse assessors to presentation of the full report at the ward was shorter using the online assessment system - 2 hrs 17 min vs 4 h 25 min - though not significantly (P= 0.17). After processing the first case, the assessing clinical staff did not want to continue to use the manual system.