An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is an electronic version of a patient medical history that is maintained by the patient’s healthcare provider over time (CMS.gov, 2012). EHRs are patient-centered records, making the information available instantly and secured. It can include all of the key administrative clinical data relevant to the patients care under a particular provider, including demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, immunization, laboratory data and radiology reports. The information in EHRs are able to be shared and managed across multiple providers, labs specialist, imaging facilities and organizations. Moreover, electronic health records are a hardware and software system that …show more content…
Electronic health records were developed early in the 1960s and were first utilized by Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont (Electronic Mcgraw Hill, 2017). In the next two decades, more information and functionalities were added to the electronic medical records system in order to improved patient care. Drug dosages, side effects, allergies, and drug interactions became available to be used by doctors electronically, enabling that information to be incorporated into electronic health-care systems (Electronic Mcgraw Hill, …show more content…
Concern over the electronic health record privacy is raised because a health record consists of the patient’s entire medical information, which could include sensitive medical data. It is important to note that in the digital environment, disclosed private information cannot be recovered and will last indefinitely; for this reason, patients are cautious over using EHRs.
Privacy is an important security requirement that concerns patients participating in electronic processes. Not giving patients control over their private data might result in patients withholding or trying to delete sensitive medical information from their EHRs in order to reserve their privacy (Alhaqbani, 2010). According to a recent survey among 12,000 people, most Americans don’t trust the security of health information technology. In the survey conducted in September of 2016, found that for consumers who engaged with health information technology at a hospital or physician practice in the last year, 57 percent were skeptical of its overall benefit (M, 2017). As a result, 87 percent are unwilling to share all of their medical information (M, 2017). The survey noted that most of the respondents were concerned that their personal health information is being shared with retailers, and the government or employees
Friedman, D. J., Parrish, G., & Ross, D. A. (2013). Electronic Health Records and US Public Health: Current Realities and Future Promise. American Journal of Public Health, 103(9), 1560-1567
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
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.
Portability can improve patient care. Patients no longer have to “tote” their cumbersome medical records around anymore. EHR’s give physicians and clinicians access to critical healthcare information in the palm of their hand, which ultimately leads to improved patient care outcomes. EHR’s also provide security to vital medical and personal healthcare information. Organizations like HIPPA defines policies, procedures and guidelines for preserving the privacy and security of discrete distinguishable health information (HHS.gov,
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.
With today's use of electronic medical records software, information discussed in confidence with your doctor(s) will be recorded into electronic data files. The obvious concern is the potential for your records to be seen by hundreds of strangers who work in health care, the insurance industry, and a host of businesses associated with medical organizations. Fortunately, this catastrophic scenario will likely be avoided. Congress addressed growing public concern about privacy and security of personal health data, and in 1996 passed “The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” (HIPAA). HIPAA sets the national standard for electronic transfers of health data.
Health care and health care information are turning to become unity and are working together to facilitate improvement of health care quality and equity. Therefore, health providers and other relevant stakeholders must strive to put in place strong measures capable of effecting heightened privacy and security precautions. More transparency must also be ensured when medical care organizations and institutions are handling patient’s medical data.
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 adoption of the electronic health record (EHR) is a clever program and promising to the health care delivery system, which is beneficial to health care providers, hospitals, and consumers/patients. Subsequently, the federal government offers an EHR incentive program or popularly known as meaningful use in health care to accelerate the implementation. One of the major components of the meaningful use standards is interoperability of the system wherein exchanges and use of information can be utilized to improve the quality of care. Additionally, EHR increases the efficiency of reporting, speeds up the report retrieval to prevent order redundancy, and improves decision making through immediate results and information availability. On the other hand, patient still questions one aspect of the EHR and health modernization regarding personal information privacy and security. Consequentially, a vast number of patients fear of sharing their important information due to the unmanageable risks regarding privacy and security breaches.
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,
These kinds of records are formatted electronically and can be shared across different healthcare institutions. The health record of patients can remain secured under the electronic health records. Electronic health records may include a series of data that consist of medical history, allergies, radiology images, test results of laboratory, medication and personal statistics such as weight, age and other information related to billing (Busch, 2008). The essay addresses the proposal of implementing electronic health records (EHR) for all Americans. Further, the essay addresses the issues and problems related to EHR. The benefits and drawbacks of electronic health records are also analyzed in the essay. Apart from this, recommendations regarding the proper implementation of electronic health record for all Americans are also provided in the essay. In the end, a conclusion is provided that summarizes the whole findings of the essay.
EHRs are “a real-time, patient-centered” records that make health information available promptly and bring any patients’ health information together in one place such as medical history, medications, diagnosis, laboratory test results, immunization records, allergies and even medical images, and many others. The use of electronic health records (EHRs) continuously increases. An ability to collect secure patient data electronically, and supplies the information to the providers upon a request is one of the features in EHR. The system can also bring together information from more than one health care organization and any past and current clinical services of the patient that helps the health care professionals in providing quality services. Within this scope, EHR benefits health care providers to enter orders directly into a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system, provides tools in decision making like, alerts, reminders, and provides access to the new research findings and evidence-based guidelines (Wager, Lee, & Glaser, 2013, pp. 134-37). The United States is creating large investments to boost the adoption and use of interoperable electronic health records (EHRs)
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).
The new technology that is available by using electronic health records allow for providers to have quicker access to patient encounter notes, view current medications, communicate with patient over a secured network, and patients have access to the files (Barr, 2013). The ability to access notes from other providers can allow for providers to have a better understanding of the issues that occurred in the past that have impacted the patient’s health status. Knowing this information can allow for providers to develop a better treatment plan that will have a greater chance for improved patient outcomes. This can drastically improve the lives. Many errors that occur within the medical field and have a harmful effect on patients, are medication errors. By being able to see all the current medications that have been prescribed to the patient, can help decrease the chances of a potentially fatal interaction. The encrypted message feature allows the patients to contact their providers with questions without being seen in the office. This secured system decreases the likelihood a HIPAA violation will occur as well as allowing providers to give patients quick information and let them know if they need to seek emergency services. The ability for the patients to also view their record can enable them take ownership of their health, and to be an active member of the healthcare
This is such a vital part of health care information system today that when there is a problem with the electronic medical record system in an organization everyone is at the loss not sure what to do. However, before EHR, there was another medical system called paper charting which is becoming obsolete. There are so many advantages of using EHR for example, easy retrieval of patients’ data and information. Patients’ information can now be retrieved and reviewed by the click of a button. Gone are the days when patients have to wait two to three weeks to pick up a hard copy of an X-ray for another doctor to review. Health information can now be readily available in electronic form whether by a thumb drive or via sharing of information by health care providers. Another beauty of EHR is that fact that patients’ entire health history can be retrieved by a click of a button, especially if they having been going to the same doctor for a number of years. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are now able to update patients’ medical history within minutes of their arrival. Health care professionals are now able to see what medications patients are taking or was taking, what specialist they have been seeing. These are just some of the beauties of having an EHR in an organization. Before electronic medical record, doctors and other healthcare professions would have to send a clerk to search through a pile of