More and more healthcare organizations are realizing that there are more problems with paper-based medical records than there are benefits, and that it’s time to adopt electronic health records (EHRs). But while EHR systems offer better data management and security, they also come with certain inconveniences and inefficiencies. Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of adopting EHRs, and find out if they really are better than paper records.
An electronic health record (EHR) is an individual’s official health document that’s accessible via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, and shareable between multiple facilities and agencies.
Typically, an EHR includes contact information, allergies, family history, list of medications, information regarding previous surgeries and procedures, and other relevant patient information.
The use of EHRs improves patient care in significant ways. For one, EHRs can aid in diagnosing illnesses based on patients’ history and complete health information. EHRs can also help reduce medical errors and false positives. Records can also be updated to provide last known information to the provider at the point of care.
Lastly, EHRs can also improve overall public health by providing a bird’s-eye view of the overall health of an entire patient population. This lets providers identify risk factors that most impact the patients and proactively prepare for potential outbreaks or illnesses.
The long-standing debate of digital versus traditional data storage has expanded to every industry, and healthcare isn’t spared from it either. While most agree that EHRs offer more benefits in comparison with paper records, EHRs themselves are not without drawbacks. Below are some of the major differences between paper and electronic records, which could help you decide whether or not to shift to an EHR system.
Experts on the subject seem to believe that EHRs need to evolve a little more before being fully accepted and integrated by all healthcare institutions. Some changes include:
Despite these, we can still expect EHRs in the future to eventually have more in-depth content and provide a more layered representation of a person’s history. Over time, this will lead to more accurate diagnoses and more appropriate treatment plans.
Would you like advice on the best EHR systems in the market or on how to implement these? Look no further and let our experts guide you. Call us today!
is your gateway to staying well-informed and up-to-date on the latest developments in the world of information technology and our upcoming events.
BY YEAR:
BY TOPIC:
You must be logged in to post a comment.