5 Reasons Why Electronic Health Records are Vital for Healthcare Industry
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are digital medical records that have replaced the traditional paper-based charts used by healthcare providers. The adoption of EHRs by healthcare providers has been rapid, with the industry maintaining a steady growth rate since its inception. Following are the five reasons why EHRs are vital for the healthcare industry.
1. Better Patient Care
EHRs promote better patient care by providing healthcare providers with real-time patient data, which enables them to make more informed decisions. With the ability to access records such as medication history and allergy information, physicians can make faster diagnoses, prescribe appropriate medications, and avoid adverse drug events.
Moreover, there is a reduction in errors that may occur during transcription, as EHRs automate clinical workflows, ensure that diagnoses codes and treatment plans are accurately captured, and provide a clear indication of which medications have already been prescribed. This eliminates duplication of tests and treatment procedures, saving time and money, and making healthcare delivery more efficient.
2. Improved Coordination and Communication
EHRs promote better communication among care providers by enabling them to share patient information seamlessly. This improves the coordination of care between different healthcare providers, leading to better health outcomes. For instance, in remote consultations, the attending physician can access the patient’s EHR remotely, providing a virtual office environment in which physicians can collaborate and coordinate care regardless of their locations.
3. Enhanced Patient Engagement
Patient engagement is also improved with EHRs. Patients can access their records via patient portals, which allow them to view their health information, verify medication lists, schedule appointments, and communicate electronically with their healthcare providers. This increases patient satisfaction and, in turn, improves the health outcomes.
4. Increased Cost Savings
EHRs can help in reducing healthcare expenses by promoting efficiency in clinical workflows. EHRs help in streamlining operations and simplifying administrative tasks. Also, EHRs eliminate the costs associated with paper-based recordkeeping, such as printing, storage, and retrieval. The reduction in error rates also reduces expenses related to unnecessary testing, duplicate procedures, and avoidable litigation.
5. Improved Accuracy and Security of Patient Data
EHRs store patients’ data electronically, which significantly reduces the potential for errors that may arise from paper-based record keeping. Moreover, EHRs have standardized formats for note taking, medication prescriptions, and clinical documentation, leading to the elimination of confusion that may arise from handwritten data.
In addition, EHRs have improved security mechanisms that protect electronic health records from unauthorized access. This includes multi-factor authentication, access control, and encryption that ensures that only authorized healthcare providers can access patient data.
Conclusion
The healthcare industry is rapidly transforming to digital systems, and EHRs have become an integral part of medical practice. EHRs promote better patient care through improved coordination, communication, and accuracy, leading to better health outcomes. EHRs also promote cost savings, improve patient engagement, and enhance security mechanisms to protect patient data. The benefits of EHRs cannot be overstated, and it’s imperative that healthcare providers continue to adopt EHR systems to enhance healthcare delivery.
