There are several advantages of electronic medical records. These include cost, efficiency and easy access.
Electronic health records are rapidly evolving as the system of choice. With this system digital medical records can easily be shared among different health care facilities across the country and around the world. These records can include a wide range of information including medical history, demographics, medications, allergies, laboratory test, immunization records and personal statistics such as age, weight and health insurance information.
Electronic medical record systems are designed to keep track of a patient’s complete medical and health history in an electronic, computerized format. This vast amount of information in this format makes it easier for healthcare professionals to retrieve and navigate vital data making the entire healthcare system more efficient and much safer for patients.
However, the system has not been implemented as quickly as you might think it should. Lack of standardization and security issues have blocked the way in many healthcare facilities.
The EMR system is comprised of two types of records. Records dating prior to the year 2000 are generally scanned and stored in a picture format or as pdf files. This data can include everything from doctor notes to tests, such as x-rays, ultrasounds or MRI scans. Many of these records were created by hand, making them virtually illegible.
The process of transferring millions of paper records to digital format or rerecording older digital files is not only time consuming, the process used replicated original mistakes. Data is not verified before transfer. Additionally, the conversion process may even create some mistakes.
The biggest advantages of electronic medical records, according to many medical professionals, is that the data can not be destroyed by fire or natural disaster as has happened many times in the past. However, that does not mean the system is 100% secure.
Advantages of Electronic Medical Records - Improved Health Care Quality
With electronic health records a doctor can instantly see a patients entire medical history. This may lessen diagnostic time and minimize the chance of a misdiagnosis and medical errors.
When information technology, such as electronic health records is used to automate daily operations, administration expenses are lower. This also frees up valuable time for extra patient care. The system may help reduce medical mistakes by giving healthcare providers diagnostic support. Instant access to the latest medical reports and up to date practices in medication administration is believed to improve health care efficiency.
The Computerized Physician Order Entry feature helps to increase patient safety. The system lists specific instructions for doctors prescribing medication. This tremendously reduces medication errors. The CPOE estimates there are approximately two hundred thousand medication errors per year. This costs hospitals over one billion dollars due to adverse affects and serious reactions.
Advantages of Electronic Medical Records - Privacy Concerns
Many people do not like the idea of having their personal medical records online. They feel exposed as if the whole world can instantly look up every detail of their private medical records. First off, not just anyone can access these records. Secondly, that is the point. With the global medical environment expanding, more people are traveling to other countries for special treatments or surgeries not available where they live.
Doctors and surgeons from anywhere in the world can instantly see your entire health history. This dramatically reduces mistakes and saves a ton of time. While the doctor is asking for your history, there may be things you have forgotten. Minor things that slip your mind could be important, depending on the type of procedure you are seeking.
There may have been an embarrassing operation in your past you might not want to mention. For example, if you had an abortion as a teenager or corrective genital surgery, you might not want a strange doctor in a foreign country to know about this. This is important information the doctor must be made aware of, no matter how much you wish you could take the secret to your grave.
Additionally, privacy concerns are totally moot when you consider how insecure the paper method can be.
According to reports, there are approximately 150 different people that have direct access to all or part of your private medical records during one hospital stay. This includes the medical staff, such as doctors, nurses, technicians, billing clerks and specialists.
Then there are the all the people at your insurance company that handle the payment. Every test and procedure is thoroughly examined to see if there aren’t some parts they might not have to pay for. Every aspect of your entire stay is looked over thoroughly.
Advantages of Electronic Medical Records – Security Breaches
We hear about online security breaches all the time. Some savvy hacker has broken into bank records, corporate files or cloud systems and changed or stolen personal data about clients. Electronic medical records might be susceptible, but overall your information is quite safe.
We hear just as many reports about medical staff revealing private information about celebrities that have checked secretly into a healthcare facility. These privacy breaches do not have anything to do with electronic files.
Medical records exchanged over the internet are transferred in the most secure way possible. When you consider the huge advantages of electronic medical records, you will realize the benefits far outweigh the security risks.