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CLINIC UNDERGOES DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION
“I think there is a world
market for maybe five computers”
—Thomas Watson, chairman, IBM, 1943
Over the summer, new personal
computers were installed in all operatories of the
second-floor clinic and are currently being installed in
first-floor clinics. Complete with LCD monitors and network
access, the computers will run axiUm, the school’s new
patient management software.
To harness the potential of
this robust software, clinical operations will change
radically over the course of the year.
Beginning in September,
doctoral dental students will schedule their own patient
appointments, including assigning chairs, within axiUm. All
new procedures and transactions will also be entered in the
new system.“Initially, everyone is going to experience a bit
of culture shock,” says Arnel Mendoza, director of
information technology. “axiUm will force everyone, from the
clinic floor to billing, to use the same language and be more
accountable.”
Eventually, all aspects of
clinical data management, from treatment planning to grading,
will be done in the new system. The old system, Computer Age
Dentistry, will be phased out entirely over the academic year.
In the meantime, the clinic will operate with two systems,
with all new patients and procedures being entered into axiUm.
Ultimately, the axiUm system
will be installed at all USCSD clinics, including satellite
locations such as the Union Rescue Mission, Children’s
Dental Center in Inglewood and QueensCare/USC Mobile Clinic.
Other clinical improvements are
being introduced to compliment the information technology
upgrade. Plans are currently being developed to institute
patient triaging in the first floor admitting area. The
emergency and admitting clinics will be renovated to reflect
and enhance this change as well.
The axiUm software and
databases are housed in the Information Services Division
building and their personnel serve as system administrators
for the School of Dentistry. Mendoza says, despite constant
attacks from viruses and worms, the server on which axiUm is
housed has never been compromised.
As an added security feature,
axiUm creates an instant copy of all information as it is
entered. This “double redundancy” ensures the valuable
information housed within the system will never be lost or
corrupted.
Catherine Conti, Sue Adolphson
and Mendoza are still in the process of training faculty,
staff and students. Junior and senior doctoral dental students
worked with the software prior to the semester break, and
sophomore students will have their first look in September.
Most of the full-time clinical faculty and staff have also
begun training.
“There is really no formula
for training, it’s always on-going. We are still changing
and customizing the software to improve our clinical
operations,” Mendoza says.
Some, such as part-time faculty
members, will not need extensive training since they will not
be asked to perform data entry in the immediate future. Their
involvement will be limited to electronically signing-off on
completed procedures by swiping a “digital signature”
card.
Through his experience
installing the software at the Oral Health Center, Mendoza
knows the road ahead will not always be smooth. However, he
does feel the faculty, staff and students of the School of
Dentistry will be up to the task.
“We have a great model with
the Oral Health Center deployment. At first it was chaotic, we
were running around like chickens with our heads cut off for
the first few weeks. If you look at them now, they’re like a
well-oiled machine, comparatively speaking. Now, they don’t
understand how they were able to work with the old system. In
time, I know everyone here will feel the same,” says
Mendoza.
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