The Benefits Of Choosing The Electronic Health Record System

In a healthcare world that operates on stringent budgets and margins, we begin to see the need for a higher capacity healthcare delivery system. This in turn puts pressure on the healthcare organizations to ensure higher standards of patient care, and compliance with the reform provisions. However, these are the harsh realities of today’s healthcare environment, a setting in which value does not always equal quality. The use of technology can help to amend some of this by providing higher capacity care without compromising quality; this can be done with the use of such technology as electronic health records (EHRs). This paper will aim to address how EHRs influence healthcare today by expanding upon topics such as funding sources, reimbursement methods, economic factors, socioeconomic factors, business influences, and cost containment.

Describe how the recommended system will impact patient care and documentation. The core of care delivery and documentation is shifting to new technology innovations and developments. Stakeholders are in need of systems that contribute to improved health outcomes. Interoperability between technologies is vital to start the meaningful process change. However, divisive systems add to the complexity of health care management. Therefore, EHRs must have the correct architecture to drive value from all clinical information systems continuously. Strategic interoperability contributes to the systemic improvement of healthcare. Health care organizations can ultimately make fundamental shifts in population health with the use of interoperable technology coupled with meaningful process change.

One of the most important characteristics of an EHR while storing the clinical information is its ability to be interoperable: to share that information among other authorized users. If different information systems cannot communicate or interact with each other, then sharing is not possible. In order to achieve the objective to exchange clinical

Since our founding, Neal Patterson, Cliff Illig and Paul Gorup have focused on a single idea: building an industry-leading healthcare company by creating unmatched value for our clients.  Among the pivotal moments in our history was the creation of Cerner Millennium, the first person-centric, unified information architecture.  Now, as we look out across the healthcare horizon, Cerner continues to push boundaries by ushering in a new generation of intelligent medical devices, broadening our client community around the globe, leveraging clinical and pharmaceutical data for new discoveries and collaborating with employers to address administrative friction.

Cerner offers Skybox storage for the storage of patient information. It has an unlimited storage capacity and the data is uploaded once and then available in the Cloud at anytime and location. Data is located at the hospital site and at Cerner data center locations. This allows for file replication in the event of data loss or corruption. Military grade encryption is utilized with continuous intrusion monitoring (Cerner, 2015). Security standards are also built into the system to meet HIPAA standard. HIPAA training must be completed by each new employee and a signature must be obtain that the employee will follow HIPAA guidelines. Access to patient information is only given if it is pertains to their hired position. The hospital must develop HIPAA policies that are updated annually. User specific logins and passwords are utilized to sign into the system and they need to be changed at set

My experience with Practice Fusion free web-based EHR was intriguing, after creating an account on the website I was connected to my practice EHR. The Practice Fusion desktop was equipped with modules for patient management. Practice Fusion implemented a library of charts for physicians and a live feed of patients with medical and diagnostic history, lab tests, immunization records and CDC preventions, e-prescribing feature that has a patient prescription history, includes a medication library from which physicians can add custom medications, and has an email feature for sending drug information and dosage instructions. Practice Fusion also offers a EHR Training Guides that includes video tutorials, live webinars and a Meaningful Use Center.

“Athenahealth is a Watertown, Massachusetts-based developer of Web-based electronic health record (EHR), electronic medical billing and medical practice management software for small and medium-sized physician’s offices.”(athenahealth, 2009-2016). With all those programs and software’s included the physician and associates can accomplish sending and receiving information from one person to another. It can be used through a large wide selection of physicians as well with patient’s records.

The implementation of the EMR system has also had close ties with CVS, so that healthcare providers and CVS can work in collaboration on patient care. CVS highlights that they, “heightening our ability to provide collaborative care. We added 19 health

The system should be fully integrated including care coordination, sustainability and quality improvement efforts. The selected EHR must provide features and functions to facilitate the achievement of both CMS Meaningful Use (Stages 1-3). The features and function of the EHR should not require any additional hardware, software or program development.

Cerner integrates patient information throughout all of the departments within a hospital setting. This program also has the ability to expand into other health care facilities within a community, such as long term care, hospice, and home health (Cerner, 2015). Cerner offers community hospitals solutions in their “Software as a Service” model. Cerner will host the software program, provide upgrades, and monitor performance to ensure stability. This will allow community hospitals to have a predictable cost for the software (Cerner, 2015). Another advantage of this system is the “Smart Room”. Wireless devices such as infusion pumps, and vital sign monitoring devices can access the system. This allows for instant documentation of this information into a patient chart and will alert if abnormalities are noted. Bar code scanners and carts are available as well. These items improve patient safety (Cerner, 2015). Cerner is capable of CPOE, electronic prescription transmitting, and has the ability to capture data and immunization statuses to meet reporting regulations.

Competition between Cerner and Epic is well known in the health care industry. True interoperability will not be achieved until competitors put aside their differences and work together. Like I said in a previous post, the Sequoia Group has garnered a great deal of interest among EMR vendors who want to utilize the Carequality Interoperability Framework.

Designed to suit the needs unique to your practice – MediTouch is the Electronic Health Records software that thinks like a doctor. You’ve charted the same way for years and you still can with the customizable MediTouch EMR system. Fully integrated across the EHR, Practice Management, and Clearinghouse – MediTouch is the only system your practice needs. MediTouch web-based EHR lets you easily access patient data and records from anywhere that has an internet connection.

Cerner Corporation designs, develops, markets, hosts and supports the health care information technology, health care devices, hardware and contents solution for health care organizations. Cerner technologies connects people and system over worldwide and our wide range of services supports the clinical, financial and operational needs of organization.

Their features have a lot of similarities such as (reducing workload to maintain workflow, specimens tracking, error alert, and immediate availability of results. Both are built for incorporation of new technologies, which is very important since Health Technology is evolving every day. When comparing their features it appears that SCC Soft Computer provides higher and latest technology, but I have difficulty understanding few of their terminology when describing their product features. Therefore, to me, I come to the conclusion that adapting to their application might be challenging and lengthy. In contrast, I was able to relate more and was more familiar win how Cerner described their product features. Although they are aware of the market competition and the meaningful use require by government and federal rule and regulation. They are more patient oriented for safety and the capacity of the clinicians to utilize their product with no challenge, but using the product tools to improve patient care and safety. Also, they have two products to choose from that best fit specific demand. Therefore, if given the opportunity, I would choose the Cerner application for their simplicity. To support my choice, Cerner received a UX Award for best Clinical Healthcare Experience Power Chart Touch in 2013.

Also, Cerner and Meditech have a few differences in their function and features in their applications. For the Cerner Powerchart Ambulatory, it does not provide application programming interface (API), but Meditech does. API is a program that allows two software programs to communicate with each other. In Meditech, a web API solution reduces development timelines enabling applications to be released to the market more quickly (Apcar, 2015). Therefore, it allows a fast, reliable and secure access to improve patient outcomes (Apcar, 2015). Another difference in feature is online booking. For, Cerner Powerchart does not include online booking like Meditech does. Online booking is used to start the scheduling