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Bridging the Gap: Making EHRs Work for the Operating Room

Informatics PNDS AORN Syntegrity

By: Luke Jobman MS, RN, NI-BC, CNOR

Published: 4/16/2025

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Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are an essential tool in modern healthcare—but they’re not always optimized for the fast-paced, high-stakes environment of the operating room (OR). Many EHRs fall short of supporting perioperative workflows, placing an extra burden on clinical teams. 

The reality is this: out-of-the-box EHR content often lacks the specialized tools perioperative teams need. From missing documentation standards to inconsistent procedure naming, these inefficiencies create ripple effects across the OR—impacting everything from room turnover to patient safety. 

That’s where AORN Syntegrity comes in. Built specifically for the perioperative environment, it delivers the missing piece: standardized nursing documentation, specialty specific templates, clinical practice support, and a robust surgical procedure library that easily integrates with most EHR systems. The result? Streamlined workflows, practice support at the point of care, better communication, improved outcomes, more predictable procedure scheduling, and lower costs. 

Bridging this gap isn’t just about adding tech—it’s about creating clarity, reducing variability, and enabling care teams to do what they do best.

Where EHRs Fall Short in the OR   

EHRs are typically designed with general workflows in mind. But the OR is anything but general. It’s fast-moving, complex, and requires precise coordination between clinical, surgical, and administrative staff. 

When documentation tools or procedure lists aren’t tailored to this environment, inefficiencies take hold. 

Common Issues Include: 

  • Inconsistent procedure naming and documentation
  • Poor alignment with surgical scheduling and surgeon preferences
  • Impacts on OR throughput, nursing efficiency, and team communication
  • Manual workarounds and duplicate entry

For example, nurses may waste valuable time searching through outdated, duplicative, or inaccurately labeled procedures, which can delay scheduling, frustrate staff, and even affect billing and reimbursement. 

AORN Syntegrity’s standardized procedure list addresses this challenge head-on—making procedure search faster, preauthorization easier, and reimbursement more reliable. 

Why OR Efficiency Demands Standardization   

When every procedure, template, and documentation point adhere to consistent standards, teams can operate more efficiently and safely, leading to more predictable and equitable care by reducing variability. Tools like the Procedure List and Perioperative Nursing Data Set (PNDS) provide the foundation for reliable, accurate, and streamlined workflows. This enables:

Tools like the Procedure List and Perioperative Nursing Data Set (PNDS) provide the foundation for reliable, accurate, and streamlined workflows. This enables:

  • Better patient outcomes
  • Greater confidence in OR scheduling
  • Reduced administrative burden
  • Lower operational costs

When OR teams feel supported by their EHR system, they can stay focused on what matters most: the patient.

The Solution: Extending EHR Capabilities with AORN Syntegrity   

AORN Syntegrity doesn’t replace your EHR—it enhances it. 

Procedure List 

The Procedure List is a powerful tool that streamlines communication and surgical scheduling. It includes thousands of up-to-date, clinician-reviewed procedures, mapped to CPT®, ICD-10-PCS®, and SNOMED CT®. It helps:

  • Eliminate outdated, duplicative, or mislabeled procedures 
  • Speed up and enhance scheduling accuracy and support billing processes 
  • Aid in preauthorization
  • Improve overall care coordination and efficiency 

PNDS with Documentation

Built by perioperative clinicians and grounded in AORN Guidelines, PNDS-based documentation supports: 

  • Patient safety and compliance
  • Efficient, evidence-based workflows
  • Benchmarking and continuous improvement
  • Reduced documentation burden and nursing burnout

 

What Hospitals Can Do Today

Improving OR efficiency doesn’t require a complete system overhaul—it starts with small, strategic steps:

  • Audit your current procedure names and documentation practices
  • Collaborate with perioperative nurses and nurse informaticists
  • Explore how tools like AORN Syntegrity can close the gaps in your EHR

OR efficiency doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by design. With the right tools and a shared commitment to clarity and standardization, the gap between your EHR and your OR can be closed.

It’s not just about better technology. It’s about better care.

Want to see how AORN Syntegrity can elevate your OR documentation? Learn more or schedule a demo! 

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