No other important milestone in the history of health care system in the last 15 years or so than the advent of converting patient’s paper-based records into electronic health records. The limitations and disadvantages of paper-based medical records used by clinicians have been well known and documented; illegible handwriting, losing paper records, unstructured formats, and inability to share information with other clinicians are just a few of the issues with paper-based medical records (Hoyt & Yoshihashi, 2014, p. 78). Moreover, the limitations of the paper-based medical records have resulted in medication errors and duplicate or unnecessary tests, which resulted in higher healthcare expenses. With the introduction of electronic health records, some of these shortcomings of paper-based medical records have been partially resolved. Electronic health records (EHR) is defined as the electronic storage of patient’s clinical health information that includes all patient’s relevant health information such as laboratory results, diagnostic tests, medical histories, medications, allergies, etc. (CMS, 2012). Keeping medical information electronically is vital with the goal of providing patients with exceptional quality care and improved patient’s health outcome. The capabilities and functionalities of the EHR to capture data and information and to …show more content…
retrieve them seamlessly provided clinicians’ the ability to treat patients appropriately and efficiently. Furthermore, the benefits of adoption of the EHR have improved patient’s safety, reduces health care costs, and improved patient’s outcome. Legible orders, view of allergies, view of past medical histories, correct dosage, clinical decision support are the functionalities of EHR that improve patient’s safety and decrease medication errors (Hoyt & Yoshihashi, 2014, p.
80). The inception of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) within the EHR in healthcare organizations has reduced 13-99% of medication errors and 30-84% of adverse drug events (Han et al. 2016). CPOE is just one of the few features embedded in the EHR that enable and guide clinicians to applicably process orders such as medication, labs, diagnostic tests, etc. (Hoyt & Yoshihashi, 2014, p.
84). The other advantage of adopting and implementing EHR in a healthcare organization is the reduction of healthcare costs, as well as an increase in revenue for that organization. Though, initial implementation is costly, nonetheless, incentive reimbursement from the CMS and the benefits of having EHR made up for the expenses incurred with the adoption of the system. In addition, reduction of medication errors, and avoiding duplicate or unnecessary orders, which otherwise would have been costly for all parties involved are prevented. Lastly, one of the most important goals of adopting and implementing EHR is to improved patient’s health outcome. Electronic health record has transformed the way clinicians’ extract data to improve the health of individuals.
The pros of the CPOE system included that the prescribing of wrong medications was reduced, there were fewer errors with the patient’s basic information, orders for lab work, blood work, and medications were standardized; and mistakes in the ordering...
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
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how Electronic Medical Records (EMR), affects healthcare delivery. I will discuss the positives and negatives this issue has on healthcare and how it effects the cost and quality for healthcare services. In addition, I will identify any potential trade-offs to cost or quality. Lastly, I will discuss how the EMR affects my job as well as any challenges or opportunities this issue presents.
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.
The EHR is a computerized health record that will take place of the paper chart. The health care information will be available to all health care providers at anytime, anywhere. The record will contain medical history, diagnosis, medications, immunization, allergies, diagnostics and lab results; from past doctors, emergency department visits, school, pharmacies, and out patient laboratories and facilities (Department of health and human services, 2014). Health care providers will be able to access evidence-based tools to aid in decision-making. EHR will also streamline workflow, and support changes in payer requirements and consumer expectations. In 2004, “the HHS secretary, Tommy Thompson appointed David Brailer as the national health information coordinator to provide: leadership for the development and nationwide implementation of a interoperable HIT infrastructure, with the goal of establishing electronic health records...
Over the last several years, electronic medical records are becoming more prominent in health care facilities, replacing traditional written records. As many electronics are becoming more prevalent with the invention of numerous smartphones and tablet devices, it seems that making medical records available electronically would be appropriate for the evolving times. Even though they have been in use to some extent for many years, the “Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health section of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has brought paperless documentation into the spotlight” (Eisenberg, 2010, p. 8). The systems of electronic medical records mainly consist of clinical note taking, prescription and medication documentation,
The purpose of the Electronic Health Record is to provide a comprehensive, standardized and universal digital version of a patient 's health records. The availability of a patient 's digital health record provides health information and data for critical thinking and evidence based decision-making, aggregates patient data for quality assurance and research. The Electronic Health Record has been, "identified as a strategy for effectively and efficiently coordinating and maintaining documentation of patients health histories and as a secure method of providing more informed clinical decision making" (MNA, 2006).
Zhang, Yu, and Shen (2012) cited “three categories of benefits as perceived by the care staff members” (p. 690). All the following gained benefits from EHR, e.g., the care staff members, the patients, and the institutions (Zhang et al., 2012). The most cited benefit from the EHR pertains to the “convenience and efficiency in data entry, distribution, storage, and retrieval of the patient’s record” (Zhang et al., 2012, p. 690). In addition, McGonigle and Mastrian (2015) summarized “the four most common benefits… for the EHR are (1) increased delivery of guidelines-based care, (2) enhanced capacity to perform surveillance and monitoring (3) reduction in medication errors, and (4) decreased use of care” (p. 255). The nurses, in particular, perceived an improvement in the quality of patient care, communication, patient safety, and better care outcomes (McGonigle & Mastrian,
Electronic Health Records arose in the healthcare field in the 1960s and 1970s, however efforts to properly use EHRs did not begin until the 1980s. The goal of an Electronic Health Record is to compile large amounts of information on the patient admitted to the hospital. The record can further be accessed without the use of multiple sources. The earliest attempts at creating Electronic Health Records were not the best simply due to systems and technology not becoming advanced enough in the 1960s and 1970s to hold such a monstrosity of information. As technological advances have become more prominent
There are numerous benefits using and EHR to perform your job .The reduction in errors alone is enough to argue that every healthcare facility should have an EHR in place with properly trained staff to utilize the software to it’s fullest potential. As more and more healthcare facilities make the transition from paper charts to Electronic Health Records (EHRs), the more these benefits increase. EHRs can be accessed on demand, which is probably the most important benefit to using an EHR to perform your job. Ability to access records on demand saves a whole lot of time which saves money, speeds up reimbursement, and could ultimately also saves lives.
With just a click of a mouse or the push of a button a diagnosis, symptoms, or even prescriptions are entered into your chart. By 2015 the federal law will require all doctors and hospitals to start using electronic records (“Data Glitches Are Hazardous..”). While this is may be more convenient there are issues that arise. Doctors and medical professionals have an easier time putting information into the programs and make it easier to access. This is where a major issue presents itself. It becomes very easy for inputted health information to contain errors. A doctor or other medical professional can easily enter information into the wrong chart or put in a wrong diagnosis and if it isn’t caught it can create problems, especially if a patient needs to see a specialist. The same can happen for prescriptions that are sent and stored electronically. It is easy to send the wrong prescription or wrong dosage and a patient can ultimately be harmed if the record is not double checked before it is sent to the
An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is any information source in electronic form which contains identifiable information concerning a patient’s medical care. The information held on an EHR may include, but is not restricted to: • Diagnoses. • Medical History. • Allergies & Adverse Drug Reaction. • Results of pathology and other tests.
Electronic medical records (EMRs) is a digital version of a standard medical and patient information gathered in the computer, which goes beyond the traditional information collected replaces manual operation and include a more comprehensive
It is the definition how health information is processed, stored, shared and analyzed. Health information is also used to strengthen the communications between healthcare professionals. HIT make available system supports for health information technologies such as EHR’s, PHR’s, and E-prescribing. Electronic medical records (EHR) is an electronic database that stores health information. This digital system contains charts of all patient medical history from one provider’s practice.