Electronic Health Record – Key Advantages For Patients

An electronic health record, or EHR, is the networked collection of population and patient health information in a computerized form. These records are used to make routine care and medical decisions. Epic EHR Integration can integrate a large amount of information from different parts of the healthcare operation, including hospitals, nursing, insurance, pharmacies, outside specialists, and offices within the healthcare enterprise. You can share these records between different health care locations or within a single organization. The electronic health record aims to improve health-related activities management and cut down costs by making data more accessible and usable.

Health Information

An EHR makes patient health history and other health-related information more accessible and understandable. With an electronic health record, diseases, symptoms, tests, treatments, and procedures are documented. This helps in better decision-making and quicker recovery. Electronic health records also provide improved patient care by minimizing duplicate tests and procedures, fewer delays in treatments, and better documentation of health-related data. Electronic health records provide for accurate patient information and facilitate data analysis. They also reduce the opportunity for fraud, avoid using inappropriate practices, and increase system security.

Benefits of Electronic Health Records

There are several benefits of electronic health records. One of its most important advantages is that electronic health records improve communication between physicians and patients. Interoperability between different software programs is facilitated. Further, electronic health records reduce the opportunity for information to be falsified due to a lack of quality control. As a result, EHR technology reduces the workload on physicians by making scheduling and paperwork less complicated.

EHR Software Solution

An EHR software solution allows for the convenient management of patients’ medical history, which is vital in any medical practice. Through electronic health records, a doctor can schedule and coordinate see-to-do appointments, as well as make educated suggestions about patients’ needs. An EHR also allows for easier access to vital sign data like the blood pressure and temperature readings, and to complete laboratory tests. Lastly, electronic health record systems usually include features that allow the recording of prescribed drugs. EHR solutions include features that facilitate the transfer of information between various locations.

Although physicians appreciate electronic health records, they are not universally embraced by every practice. Concerns include the possibility of privacy violations, costs associated with the digital files, and concerns over the ability to secure the electronic format. Concerns about cost have been addressed by the recent introduction of fee-for-access offerings. In general, implementing an EHR software system is less expensive than traditional medical records storage, retrieval, and insurance reimbursement. Also, electronic health record systems are now more accessible to most practice groups because electronic formats have become generally affordable.

EMR implementation is likely to bring additional challenges and questions. Electronic health record systems have caused some practice groups to question whether it is appropriate to release medical information into electronic health records. Others have expressed concern about the security of electronic health records.

EMR software solutions will continue increasing the functionality as more organizations experience the convenience and productivity benefits of EHR software. Ultimately, the adoption of electronic health record software will result in increased productivity, decreased healthcare costs, and enhanced patient care. As EHR technology becomes more widely adopted throughout the country, efforts to harmonize the current healthcare landscape will only strengthen its role as a universal care delivery model.