These systems enable them to manage their important data and bring efficiency in their functions. Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are computerized health information systems that provide a variety of data management functions to the hospital staff and make the organization operate with more competitiveness in its industry (Iyer, Levin, Shea, & Ashton, 133)
In the presence of EMRs in their operational setups, health care organizations do not face any difficulty in accessing the required pieces of information whenever they are required. With EMRs installed in the organization, hospital staff can easily find the records of their patients without searching the whole files and documents around them (Schatz & Berlin, 264)
EMRs are primarily used for the purpose of data management; including editing, modification, storage, and easy retrieval of data in an efficient and well-organized way. EMRs are among the few heaviest investments that a health care institution ever makes in its life (Scott, 59)
Now every large hospital, medical laboratory, and health care institution has an EMR instituted within its operational setup. The need to develop a computerized health information system arose when hospitals realized that human beings are not efficient enough to deal with a variety and masses of information in the form of medical records, patients' history, laboratory tests files, and other documents used in their day-to-day operations (Tranberg & Rashbass, 79)
Through EMRs, every department remains connected with all other departments. In this way, hospital staff can share important files and documents with each other so that all functions can be performed smoothly and accurately (Wager, Lee, & Glaser, 110)
Healthcare Reform Reform and Electronic Medical Records An Interview with Bernie Saunders "Imagine a world where everything important about a patient is known to the physician the first time that patient presents," says Andrew Rubin, vice president for NYU Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates in New York City (Mann, N
Despite the sacrifices and the services that these soldiers provide for the country, the political establishment does not have enough political will to reform the system to provide adequate care for these soldiers. A Department of Veterans Affairs audit has found that the VA's medical scheduling issues go far beyond the Phoenix VA facility, with more than 57,000 veterans nationwide waiting more than 90 days for medical check-ups after making their initial appointments; an additional 64,000 veterans over the last decade were found to have never had medical appointments after having enrolled in the VA health care system (Martinez, 2014)
" Kazley and Ozcan rightly point out that EMRs could improve many of the flaws of paper medical records. After all, they are transportable, transferable, complete, automated, standardized and typed, as well as connected to standardized clinical pathways and other tools, which could reduce the number of medical errors while increasing communication and coordination between physicians (Fonkych & Taylor, Taking the Pulse 5 2005)
After all, they are transportable, transferable, complete, automated, standardized and typed, as well as connected to standardized clinical pathways and other tools, which could reduce the number of medical errors while increasing communication and coordination between physicians (Fonkych & Taylor, Taking the Pulse 5 2005). Because of these characteristics, EMRs have been predicted to increase the quality of health care services (Miller & Sim, 2004)
Disadvantages of EMR: Despite of the numerous advantages of these systems, electronic medical records also have some major disadvantages including & #8230; Start-up Costs: This is the major disadvantage of the systems since lessening cost has become a major issue for all stakeholders in the healthcare industry. The start up or introduction of the EMR systems is relatively high despite of the fact that they lessen administrative costs (Gurley, n
This record is an electronic information sharing system through the Internet for both providers and patients. Consequently, physicians can update their data, prescriptions, and research into these online systems as patients and doctors can access the information from anywhere in the world (Michael, n
The benefits of EMR include instant access to records, improved legibility, and standardized documentation when using templates, built-in safety mechanisms, and clinical decision support. The probability that clinicians will be faced with the hazardous business of conducting a visit without a patient record, that pharmacists, auditors, and other clinicians will be hindered by sloppy handwriting, or that clinicians will prescribe a medication that the patient is allergic to will be greatly diminished (Buppert, 2010)
In order to maintain and improve upon established levels of care, it is vital that health care facilities evaluate options to put together information systems as a mechanism to eliminate preventable medication errors. Aside from the apparent cost of life, there are widespread implications to errors that lead to injury, including costs connected with increased hospitalization, increased medication, lost wages, and decreased patient satisfaction (Patel, 2004)
However, many physicians are profoundly resistant to EMR, despite these many benefits. "Adoption of EMR currently limited to only 5-10% of medical practices" (Koriwchak 2010)
Yet there are many acknowledged benefits in using EMR. One of the most obvious is enhanced legibility -- the incomprehensible nature of doctors' handwriting has long been a butt of jokes, but can have serious consequences if patient diagnoses or medications are not properly read (Tennenhouse 2010)
Maintain a data and information trail that can be readily analysed for medical audit, research and quality assurance, epidemiological monitoring, disease surveillance, etc. Support for continuing medical education (Electronic Medical Records, 2010, Benefits of EMR Section)
You must keep in mind, however, that with most system quotes, hardware, installation and training are not included (How to Purchase an EMR, 2010). General Challenges of implementing the right EMR One of the greatest challenges, especially for offices that have been practicing for a number of years is the transfer of the paperwork from the previous years to the new EMR system (Levine, 2010)
When there is very little time available, and decisions have to be made with acute accuracy, it is of primary concern to have access to all necessary information immediately. Nurses and other healthcare professionals have long enjoyed this access due to charting procedures implemented by hospitals over a century ago (Bernd & Fine, 2011)
This is not as much of an issue for hospitals because the records stay with the facility, but for a clinic this can be a very large factor in whether certain systems are implemented or not. Another issue that is akin to this one in legal circles is the question of who owns the data in a health record (Evans, 2011)
This allows a patient to visit different facilities without having to request a copy of her medical records be sent each time. In practice, however, these arrangements are difficult to implement on a large scale and have only resulted in regional networks, known as regional health information organizations" (McCarthy, 2010) But, this can be problematic because there are some networks which are not as secure as others