What is the function of the Mark Now tool in Epic?

The Mark Now tool in Epic serves as a valuable feature that allows users to highlight specific moments during a patient encounter that require urgent follow-up documentation. By marking these critical times, healthcare providers can ensure that they address important details or actions after the immediate rush of the clinical encounter. This is particularly useful in busy environments where it’s easy to overlook documenting certain observations or decisions made during patient interactions.

The utility of the Mark Now tool is especially beneficial for maintaining accurate and thorough patient records, as it helps prevent the potential for missed information once the clinician returns to their documentation. It acts as a prompt to revisit significant actions or decisions at a later time when there is still the opportunity to document them comprehensively. This ensures better continuity of care and can aid in improving clinical outcomes.

In contrast, documenting patient vitals, preparing medication orders, and scheduling follow-up appointments involve routine tasks that do not encompass the same function of marking critical moments for later review and documentation.