The Many Benefits of Using Electronic Health Records

The medical community has come a long way in terms of technological advances that have significantly improved patient care over the years. Managing a medical practice has become easier especially when it comes to organizing clinical workflow. One of the most important programs used by an increasing number of medical practitioners is Electronic Health Records (EHR).

According to the Health Information Management Systems Society’s (HIMSS), an EHR is an electronic record of patient health information. This includes detailed information regarding the patient such as demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, immunizations, laboratory data, and radiology reports. Utilizing this kind of technology can be greatly beneficial for both patients and medical practitioners alike. That’s because a patient’s medical records can be easily accessed in the event of an emergency.

The patient’s medical information can be securely stored in hard drives that don’t take up as much space. It can be transferred discreetly within minutes ensuring a patient’s confidentiality while simultaneously providing accessibility for people privy to that information. Records can also be stored in remote servers so in the event of a natural disaster, important patient information can be recovered.

Some providers of EHR systems also develop a program that automates order processing such as prescriptions, referrals, lab requisition and diagnostic testing orders. This makes it easier for patients to refill prescriptions, and likewise doctors can quickly update a patient’s medical information. A patient’s medical history is also archived in each patient’s unique medical record. Physicians can keep track of a patient’s medication intake from the past to the present.

Medical practitioners can also benefit greatly from practice management software because not only does it organize the work flow, it is also a cost-effective measure in storing patient records. Users no longer have to invest in information technology, hardware, and maintenance costs since these programs are paid for via a predictable monthly subscription. Furthermore, physicians can benefit from Medicare’s incentive payments wherein the national social insurance program will pay users a certain amount for being a “meaningful EHR user.”

The use of electronic health records also minimizes the occurrence of clerical errors since any erroneous information can be quickly rectified. Overall, the use of EHR is advantageous to all concerned parties and simplifies the entire process for better patient care. If you are interested to learn more about electronic health record systems, you can find more relevant information at wisegeek.com and cms.gov.

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