The Pros and Cons of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) System

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Did you ever think about how much time is spent on computers and the internet? It is estimated that the average adult will spend over five hours per day online or with digital media according to Emarketer.com. This is a significant amount; taking into consideration the internet has not always been this easily accessible. The world that we live in is slowly or quickly however you look at it: becoming technology based and it is shifting the way we live. With each day more and more people use social media, shop online, run businesses, take online classes, play games, the list is endless. The internet serves billions of people daily and it doesn’t stop there. Without technology and the internet, there would be no electronic health record. Therefore, is it important for hospitals and other institutions to adopt the electronic health record (EHR) system? Whichever happens, there are many debates about EHR’s and their purpose, and this paper is going to explain both the benefits and disadvantages of the EHR. Global users of the internet can then decide whether the EHR is beneficial or detrimental to our ever changing healthcare system and technology based living. To begin, there are numerous advantages throughout the EHR system. Considering this, enhancing patient safety is priority in the healthcare industry. Reminders, alerts, and pop-ups are just a few of the safety features an EHR can provide. These items can prevent medication errors, by alerting a nurse or physician of a blood sugar that is out of range, or a medication with too high of a potency, such as a wrong dosage amount. Reminders can be as simple as an immunization reminder to get a flu shot. Another example could be a drug interaction between NSAIDS such as i... ... middle of paper ... ...cost, frustration temper advantages of electronic health record systems. Dermatology Times, 30(11), 17-25. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from CINAHL. Jesitus, J. (2012, March). EHR experiences. Dermatology Times, 33(3), 109-112. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from CINAHL. Savel, R. H., & Munro, C. L. (2013, November). Promise and pitfalls of the electronic health record. American Journal of Critical Care, 22(6), 460-462. doi:http://0-dx.doi.org.iii.camden.lib.nj.us/10.4037/ajcc2013726. Silow-Carroll, Sharon, Jennifer N. Edwards, and Diana Rodin. "Using Electronic Health Records to Improve Quality and Efficiency: The Experiences of Leading Hospitals." The Coommonwealth Fund. The Coommonwealth Fund, July 2012. Google. Web. 18 Feb. 2014..

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