What are eForms?
eForms (electronic forms) are arguably the most enabling EMR feature for OSCAR users. In the most basic form, an eForm is a simple scanned image of a paper form in the background, with electronic HTML form elements superimposed on top of this, that allow the user to import text from the OSCAR database or type their own, instead of filling out forms by hand and having to manually scan them back into OSCAR.
eForms is a module for “plug-ins” in OSCAR to allow users to upload their own bits of code (HTML) to their OSCAR system. The initial intention was to provide doctors with an elegant do-it-yourself electronic solution to manage the never-ending avalanche of new paper forms coming at them from all directions. Doctors actually spend a large part of their work hours filling in paper forms, such as lab or x-ray requisition forms, referral forms for services for their patients and bureaucratic forms, ranging from special authority coverage forms to handicapped parking permits. eForms then are the electronic answer to this problem, as they are stored electronically right in the OSCAR server, can be optionally loaded into patient charts and auto-populate with the patient’s demographic and some clinical information, from the OSCAR database. Once completed and finalized, eForms can be printed or even electronically faxed (on systems set up for this), and saved on the patient’s chart as a record. They can be re-printed again in future if desired.
Note: Electronic forms are often referred to as “Templates” in other EMR systems. In the OSCAR community we prefer calling them “eForms” to avoid confusing electronic forms functionality with free-text templates, an entirely different bit of useful functionality described elsewhere.
E-FORMS DISCLAIMER:
- As is: eForms are shared “as-is” free of charge on a share-alike basis with absolutely no guarantee or warranty.
- No Quality Control: We do not vet any eForms and do not purport to apply any manner of quality control. We strongly encourage end-users to subject all the eForms loaded on their system to a thorough testing process and quality review themselves, before using them on real live patient charts.
- Responsibility: The responsibility for the clinical and medical-legal consequences of any and all eForms, rest with the OSCAR end-users themselves. This applies to both eForms shared by others, and those created by users themselves.
- Attribution: eForms are shared freely among the user community, with attribution to the original author of the eForm.
- Free: eForms so shared may not be bought or sold.
- Provincial validation: eForms are optional and non-essential add-ons, separate from OSCAR, and each with their own license terms. eForms are not part of OSCARs core program functionality and code base. For this reason eForms are not subject to provincial validation testing and conformance criteria. eForms are also not subject to the ISO production process for OSCAR.