The evolution of technology in health care system has improved the quality of care and health of patients overall. The use of electronic health records has helped health care professionals monitor the progression of patients health over a period of time. Compared to the past where all patient documentations were stored in charts which were difficult to determine the state of patients health. According to Sewell (2016) "under the EHR model, one's health information is available from any location where there is Internet access and a health information exchange exists" (p.190). The technology of the electronic health record makes patient information universal as well as easier to diagnose.
The purpose of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment
…show more content…
One of the challenges with the electronic health record system is a security breach. Security breaches are a threat to patient privacy and confidentiality, especially without individual consent or authorization. A breach in patient health information is against HIPPA regulations and can lead to jail time for the accused. According to a conducted survey, about "73% of physicians text other physicians about work (Ozair, 2015)". It is not a secret that employees in the health care gossip about patients and their personal lives. However, HIPPA regulations need to be reinforced to prevent patient information from being disclosed. Hospital and health care facilities that are using electronic health record need to strength their firewalls, antivirus software and trespass detection software to protect patient data. As well as clarifying to all employees to not share passwords and ID with other employees. Also, login in out of all computers when done charting. For example, at a clinical setting a patient called out to a student nurse who was charting on the computer wall. The student stepped away from the computer to answer the patient. In this situation not only did the not log out but allowed anyone who passed the computer wall to see all the patients information including diagnoses. The ethical principles of respect for persons and confidentiality should not be …show more content…
One of the issue with the electronic health record is "a dynamic tension exists between the need for design standards and vendors’ competitive differentiation, resulting in restraint of the dissemination of best practices for EHR design(Bowman, 2013)". The investors of the electronic health record seemed to believe that the flaws of the EHR stem from the design. However, this is not true. One of the problems of EHR stems from improper system usability. One suggestion to fix improper system usability is to create policies and procedures that are appropriate. For example, creating a policy which prevents the copy and paste feature which will lower falsified documentations. As well lowering patient risk from documentation errors. Another recommendation is to provide all employees with the proper training of system use and what is to be expected. For example, when clinical students go to a facility they undergo a couple of days of training using the facilities electronic health record. This includes teaching which templates to document patient vitals signs, where to find blood tests, medication orders and physician notes. These expectations should include solutions for errors and safety risks. If all individuals working in the health care facility work together in recognizing errors. Then there will be fewer safety risks and confusion in the clinical
For years now, the healthcare system in the United States have managed patient’s health records through paper charting, this has since changed for the better with the introduction of an electronic medical record (EMR) system. This type of system has helped healthcare providers, hospitals and other ambulatory institutions extract data from a patient’s chart to help expedite clinical diagnosis and providing necessary care. Although this form of technology shows great promise, studies have shown that this system is just a foundation to the next evolution of health technology. The transformation of EMR to electronic heath record system (EHR) is the ultimate goal of the federal government.
Historically, physicians and nurses documented patients’ health information using paper and pencil. This documentation created numerous errors in patients’ medical records. Patient information became lost or destroyed, medication errors occur daily because of illegible handwriting, and patients had to wait long periods to have access to their medical records. Since then technology has changed the way nurses and health care providers care for their patients. Documentation of patient care has moved to an electronic heath care system in which facilities around the world implement electronic health care systems. Electronic health records (EHR) is defined as a longitudinal electronic record of
It was just yesterday when Electronic health records was just introduced in healthcare industry. People were not ready to accept it due to higher cost and consumption of time associated in training people and adopting new technology. Despite of all this criticism, use of Internet and Electronic Health records are now gaining its popularity among health care professionals, as it is the most effective way to communicate with patient and colleagues. More and more hospitals and clinics are getting rid of paper base filling system and investing in cloud base storage.
Unfortunately, the quality of health care in America is flawed. Information technology (IT) offers the potential to address the industry’s most pressing dilemmas: care fragmentation, medical errors, and rising costs. The leading example of this is the electronic health record (EHR). An EHR, as explained by HealthIT.gov (n.d.), is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. It includes, but is not limited to, medical history, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans. The EHR, then, serves as a resource that aids clinicians in decision-making by providing comprehensive patient information.
Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a digital collection of patient health information instead of paper chart that captures data at the point of collection, supports clinical decision-making and integrates data from multiple sources in any care delivery settings. The health record includes patient’s demographics, progress notes, past medical history, vital signs, medications, immunizations, laboratory data and radiology reports. National Alliance for the Health Information Technology defines EHR as, “ an electronic record of health-related information on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more
This paper will identify the use of Electronic Health Records and how nursing plays an important role. Emerging in the early 2000’s, utilizing Electronic Health Records have quickly become a part of normal practice. An EHR could help prevent dangerous medical mistakes, decrease in medical costs, and an overall improvement in medical care. Patients are often taking multiple medications, forget to mention important procedures/diagnoses to providers, and at times fail to follow up with providers. Maintaining an EHR could help tack data, identify patients who are due for preventative screenings and visits, monitor VS, & improve overall quality of care in a practice. Nurse informaticists play an important role in the adaptation, utilization, and functionality of an EHR. The impact the EHR could have on a general population is invaluable; therefore, it needs special attention from a trained professional.
Tan & Payton (2010) describe the electronic health record (EHR), which dates back to the 1950s. These computer-based patient records have evolved into complex systems with many capabilities. They were designed to provide healthcare professionals with a comprehensive picture of a patient’s health status at any time and are meant to automate and streamline the workflow of the healthcare professional (Tan & Payton,
In the 2004 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush stated “within the next 10 years, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) will ensure that complete health care information is available for most Americans at the time and place of care (U.S. Government)”. In order to encourage the widespread implementation of EHRs and to overcome the financial barrier to doing so, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 set aside $27 billion in incentives to be distributed over a ten-year period for hospitals and healthcare providers to adopt the meaningful use of EHRs (Encinosa, 2013). In 2011, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) implemented the Meaningful Use (MU) Incentive Program. In order to qualify for incentive payments under MU, providers must attest to meeting specific quality measures thresholds each year consisting of three stages with increasing requirement at each stage.
The Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and strategic ways patients can be engaged in their health decision-making
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH Act), which was passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, has fostered significant progress in the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in various clinical settings, particularly through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs and its focus on EHR adoption in Stage 1 Meaningful Use (CITATION gov). For instance, as a result of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, the percentage of office based physicians who have adopted an EHR system dramatically rose from 18.2% in 2001 to a staggering 78.4% in 2013 (CITATION phys data). Additionally, as of July 2013, 67% of hospitals achieved Stage 1 Meaningful Use and an additional 16% were paid for adopting EHRs (CITATION hosp data).
Over the past decade, technological advances have paved the way for nurses to provide, quality, safe, standardized and individualized patient care (Saba & McCormick, 2015). The use of the Electronic Health Records (EHR) to manage patient data is quickly becoming widespread in the healthcare industry. The emerging use of the Electronic Health Record, is transforming how nurses care for patients. By creating and implementing an electronic, comprehensive, standardized method of recording patient data, nurses can facilitate and coordinate patient care with members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team. The use of the Electronic Health Record will promote positive
According to Shi & Singh, (2015) medical information systems have been available since the 1950s. The proficiencies of the IT system has lead health care organization (HCO) to change and restructure their operational systems. The development and progression of new IT software is a multi dimensional system, which incorporates the electronic health records (EHR). The electronic health records (EMRs), is clinical communication system that is used to safeguard the patients’ medical history while building effective measure toward improving the delivery of quality care.
Our clinical knowledge is expanding. The researcher has first proposed the concept of electronic health record (EHR) to gather and analyze every clinical outcome. By late 1990s computer-based patient record (CPR) replaced with the term EHR (Wager et al., 2009). The process of implementing EHR occurs over a number of years. An electronic record of health-related information on individual conforms interoperability standards can create, manage and consult with the authorized health professionals (Wager et al., 2009). This information technology system electronically gather and store patient data, and supply that information as needed to the healthcare professionals, as well as a caregiver can also access, edit or input new information; this system function as a decision support tools to the health professionals. Every healthcare organization is increasingly aware of the importance of adopting EHR to improve the patient satisfaction, safety, and lowering the medical costs.
One of the major objectives of the Health Insurance Reform Act passed in August 2004 is to rationalize health care consumption through a better coordination of care. Delivery of excellent primary care central to overall medical care demands that providers have the necessary information when they give care (Bates et al, 2003). Implementing an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to provide all the capabilities, support and benefits to provide fast, safe and efficient healthcare organization.
Health information technology encompasses the altercation of health information in an electronic surroundings. Extensive use of the health information technology with the healthcare industry will progress the value of healthcare to prevent medical inaccuracies, decrease healthcare costs, increase administrative competencies, lessen paperwork and inflate access to affordable healthcare. The privacy and security of electronic health information must be maintained and pass on electronically. The electronic health record has brought about various enhancements to upkeep patient quality and safety. Remarkable improvements have been recognized in practice standardization, decision support, communication and data capture for management, research