When a small, rural public health department wanted to transition to an electronic health records (EHR) system to streamline data management and reporting, they selected Nightingale Notes by CHAMP Software.
The Challenge
Del Norte County Public Health, located in a sparsely populated area of northern California, faces unique challenges due to its geographical isolation and struggling economy. Like many small, rural agencies, it relied on paper-based charting for data management, a process that posed significant challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lack of an EHR system made it cumbersome to compile and analyze data, hindering the agency’s ability to track clinical services, report to funders, and assess the effectiveness of programming and interventions. They needed a more efficient solution.
The Requirements
The organization required an EHR system to handle clinical charting, scheduling, and reporting. It was crucial that it easily track clinical services, including vaccinations and TB tests, and support documentation of home visits. It also needed to accommodate public health activities that were not client-based, such as group interventions, educational events, policy meetings, and programs like childhood lead poisoning prevention.
“I’m an advocate for Nightingale Notes because it really changed the way we do business.”
– Shelby Bodenstab, RN, Senior Certified Public Health Nurse, County of Del Norte, CA
The Solution
Del Norte County Public Health selected Nightingale Notes as their electronic health records solution because it:
Was built specifically for public health agencies and their unique requirements.
Offers the flexibility and customization needed for public health operations.
Allows the agency to capture data related to both client-based services and population-level interventions.
Is built on the Omaha System, enabling them to gather valuable data about the effectiveness of nursing interventions.
Enables the comprehensive reports they require to effectively manage operations and provide needed data to outside agencies.
Choosing Nightingale Notes as its EHR has enabled this small agency to improve timekeeping, track vouchers for employees by program and cost center, and efficiently manage its programming to respond to the diverse needs of its community—without shuffling paper.
The Outcome
Since implementing Nightingale Notes, Del Norte County Public Health has experienced significant improvements in data management and reporting. The ability to generate needed reports has saved the agency substantial time that used to be spent manually counting data.
But most of all, the staff at Del Norte County appreciate that Nightingale Notes was built for public health agencies just like theirs. It meets their unique needs—and the professionals at CHAMP Software are responsive and helpful when they need to adapt the system to fit their services.
As the director of public health nurses, Shelby Bodenstab, says, “Public health professionals deserve something that works for us. Nightingale Notes does exactly that.”
