Ehr Business Process Management: from Process Mining to Process Improvement to Process Usability

Process mining of event log data from electronic health records (EHRs) promises new methods to systematically improve EHR-mediated patient care processes and workflow usability. Process mining is part of a larger front of process-aware business process management (BPM) technology diffusing into the healthcare information technology (HIT) industry. Process mining can discover evidence-based process models, or maps, from timestamped user and patient behavior; detect deviations from intended process models relevant to minimizing medical error and maximizing patient safety; and suggest ways to enhance healthcare process effectiveness, efficiency, and user and patient satisfaction. Process mining provides an “X-ray” of processes that can explain clinical business intelligence report and dashboard key performance indicators (KPI). Demand for better evidence-based process maps will drive demand for better EHR event logs, which in turn will drive demand for more process-aware BPM-based EHRs and HIT. Many complaints about EHR usability are about EHR workflow. Process mining techniques and process-aware EHR and HIT systems will increase EHR usability and increase EHR adoption. They are relevant to the central issues of healthcare reform: identification of best practices, coordination of care among clinical staff, consistency across patient care processes, and efficient use of healthcare resources.