Benefits of Electronic Health Records

There have been major changes in the healthcare sector over the recent past, a factor that has been linked to different forces and factors. This has happened all over the globe. However, nothing has transformed healthcare like the advent of information technology. This paper analyzes the benefits of electronic health records.

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Electronic health record systems can change the health care system from paper-based operations to the kind that uses clinical and other important information to help healthcare providers provide quality care (Menachemi & Collum, 2011). There are different advantages that come with the use of electronic health records, for instance easy access to computerized records and eradication of employee inefficiencies. A number of potential capabilities can be provided by EHR systems. However, there are three functionalities which seek to boost the quality of care in addition to cutting costs at the health care system level. These are clinical decision support (CDS) tools, health information exchange (HIE) and most importantly computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems (Menachemi & Collum, 2011). Together with other EHR capabilities, these functionalities are major requirements that must be taken into consideration.

A clinical decision support system helps that provider make decisions concerning patient care (Menachemi & Collum, 2011). Other functionalities of a clinical decision support system entail presenting recent information regarding a drug, analyzing a patients allergy to a particular drug and other important patient issues. Computerized physician order entry system on the other hand enables providers to enter orders into a computer as opposed to doing the same on paper. It could be an order for drugs, physical therapy or even laboratory tests. By ensuring that whole process is computerized, medical errors are eliminated. Moreover, it makes the process of ordering efficient given that nursing and pharmacy employees are not require to seek clarification or search for missing information incomplete or unreliable orders (Menachemi & Collum, 2011). It was submitted that there can be reduction in medication by about 55 percent in the event that a CPOE system is adopted. Employing a CPOE system more so when it is connected to a clinical decision support system can lead to better efficiency and quality care.

The moment the health data can be accessed by providers electronically, sharing of patient information is facilitated by EHRs via health information exchange (HIE) (Menachemi & Collum, 2011). This is the process in which patient information is shared electronically between various organizations. It can bring a lot of efficiencies as far as healthcare delivery is concerned. It enables safe and real-time sharing of patient information. As a result, it can reduce expensive redundant tests which are ordered given the fact that one provider lacks access to the clinical information that is kept in the location of another provider. Generally, patient data is stored in different locations and areas where care is provided, for instance the office of the primary care physician, a pharmacy or emergency department.

In a nut shell, implementation of electronic health records is important in transforming the health care system. Adoption of electronic health records should be seen as one of the numerous strategies that diversify the emphasis on reducing cost and boosting quality. With time, researchers and healthcare providers would be anxious to quantify the benefits which are anticipated from electronic health records.

References

Menachemi, & Collum, T. (2011). Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems.

Risk Management Health Policy. 2011; 4: 4755