The Benefits Of Electronic Health Records

The electronic health record (EHR) is a digital record of a patient’s health history that may be made up of records from many locations and/or sources, such as hospitals, providers, clinics, and public health agencies. The EHR is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and has built-in safeguards to assure patient health information confidentiality and security. (Huston, 2013)

Electronic health records (EHR) are health records that are generated by health care professionals when a patient is seen at a medical facility such as a hospital, mental health clinic, or pharmacy. The EHR contains the same information as paper based medical records like demographics, medical complaints and prescriptions. There are so many more benefits to the EHR than paper based medical records. Accuracy of diagnosis, quality and convenience of patient care, and patient participation are a few examples of the

“… longitudinal electronic record of patient health information generated by one or more encounters in any care delivery setting”. Included in this information are patient demographics… reports. The EHR automates and streamlines the clinician 's workflow. The EHR has the ability to generate a complete record of a clinical patient encounter, and related activities directly or indirectly via interface—including evidence-based decision support, quality management, and outcomes reporting.”(GAO, 2010)

A lengthy list of EHR benefits supports the evolution from paper to electronic medical record keeping. One such benefit, the significant reduction of needed storage space. Bulky paper charts require a lot of space and misplaced charts waste time and effort to locate. Since EHR data remains on the computer, medical practices no longer require secure on-site storage, and electronic files eliminate misplacing files. Another benefit to data remaining on the computer rather than a medical chart, electronic records allow immediate access from several locations. EHRs provide emergency room personnel access to allergies and other pertinent information of unconscious patients. The on-call physician accesses patient information from their home computer, rather than driving to the medical

EHR is a digital collection of health records from a single patient. It records and maintains updated information in a timely fashion. This information is then easily passed, and shared to various healthcare entities. Where it is easily accessible from remote sites to many people at the same time. Electronic Health Records (EHR) include: data on a patient’s medical history, allergies, medication, demographics, laboratory test results, and personal

EHRs display vital patient data and clinical information. Data and information include diagnosis, medications, procedures, test results, assessments, problems list, consents, and directives (Barey, McGonigle, & Mastrian, 2018). EHRs allow all healthcare professionals on the treatment team to access data to provide safe and quality care (Rocha & Rocha, 2014). EHRs not only provide pertinent patient data, but also assist in addressing the underuse or misuse of healthcare services. The response to EHRs has raised mixed emotions and positive and negative feedback from healthcare professionals. However, overall, research reveals EHRs can positively impact healthcare (Kutney-Lee & Kelly, 2011). EHRs continue to influence the healthcare system, and make a vital impact on healthcare quality and safety.

EHRs have potential in recuperating patient safety. EHRs are efficient as they do not require doctors to use paper records, which in turn result in healthier individuals (Staggers, Weir and Phansalkar, 2008). Furthermore, Canada and many other countries around the globe have invested in EHRs due to the advantages for patient safety. Moreover, EHRs have its advantages, but there are also evident disadvantages, such as financial costs, patient safety, and medical errors (Sparnon and Marella,

In 2004 president George Busch announced the goal to mandate electronic health records for every American by 2014. This would require every paper chart to be converted to electronic chart so that health care providers and the patient themselves can access their information through the internet (Simborg, 2011). The purpose of developing the EHR is to provide appropriate patient information from any location. Also to improve health care quality and the coordination of care among hospital staff. To reduce medical error, cost and advance medical care. Last to ensure patient health information is secure (DeSalvo, 2014) The Department of Health and Human Services appointed the Office of the National Coordinator for Health

Although the general population has concerns about who has the ability to access their medical records, data has been put into place showed that the general population knows that having an EHR would be beneficial (Thede, 2010). Research has suggested that patients, providers and insurance companies have benefited from EHRs because insurance companies do not have to pay for duplicate testing as well as patients and providers having the ability to increase the quality of care that is provider (Thede, 2010). Not to mention, the patients aren’t pained to have to remember every detail of the history when visiting various specialist (Thede, 2010). Moreover, EHR can increase medical staff efficiency and reduce errors, and keeping adverse drug events from happening (Bill to promote electronic health records proposed, 2008).

EHRs has been known to be a problem for some physicians or healthcare providers despite of the advantages. Because of this system physicians are forced to perform some time-consuming tasks that could be assigned to someone with lesser qualification, which creates more work for the physicians. Physicians described poor Electronic Health Record (EHR) usability that did not match clinical workflows, time-consuming data entry, interference with face-to-face patient care, and overwhelming numbers of electronic messages and alerts (Friedberg, Crosson, & Tutty). Another issue that was reported is that there are a lot of electronic alerts and people also could potentially misuse the template-based notes which is pre-formatted and computer generated.

EHR is an acronym for electronic health records. The focus of an electronic health record is on the total health of patients, not just the care at one clinic. Technology has made it possible for the EHR to replace many functions of the traditional paper chart, and promises significant advances in patient care (The Use of electronic Medical Records, 2015). The information that is contained in an EHR moves with the patient wherever they may be (nursing home, PCP, etc.). An EHR is designed to be accessed by everyone involved with the patients care, including the patient. Electronic Health Records allow for more coordinated and patient centered care. They also make it possible to collect and analyze data through each patient and their lines of

An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a real time digital version of a patient’s paper chart that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users. EHR contain a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results. Allow access to evidence-based

Electronic Health Records should not be enforced in all medical settings In recent years, almost every major industry has invested greatly in technology. As we become more reliant on technology, we are able to complete our routine tasks faster, such as a simple doctor’s visit or contacting a Physician through email. Recent laws have enforced the expansion of Electronic Health records throughout the country. It’s important for society to be aware of the changes being made to our current health care system and learn how it will affect us in the near future.

Medical records comprises of a patients treatment history and relevant value information’s about a patients, the records provide written proof of a patients medical life over time. Such private and important informations should be securely kept and highly restricted. The storing and easily accessing of medical records is a very important part of managing in healthcare .Most healthcare organizations and providers are custodians of such records, and they keep this records either through the traditional paper recording system method or the revolutinalized computer based system called Electronic Halth Record System (EHR), or even used both methods of record keeping. Although the electronic health record is efficient and valued more than the

Based on the definition declared by the health information management systems society (HIMSS), an EHR is a detailed digital record of the medical statuses of patients based on at least one healthcare visit or treatment program. These records provide vital information on each patient’s personal details, health concerns, progress reports, medicine administrated and prescribed, vital signs, previous medical histories, immunization statuses, lab test reports and radiology results. The database also assist in scheduling in the work of clinical practitioners as the EHR is capable of presenting a comprehensive record of all treatment received by a patient across a diverse range of medical fields and supports the use of evidence based decision making methods, quality management and the effective evaluation of the patient outcome.