Medical professionals have the difficult task of balancing paperwork and administrative duties while providing high-quality patient care. They need to be able to update charts, communicate with other providers, and make decisions as quickly and efficiently as possible. Electronic Health Records (EHR) provide resources to streamline this process.
EHRs affect both the administrative and patient-facing sides of medical practice. They limit miscommunications caused by unreadable handwriting or misfiled documents. They also offer immediate access for the patient and provider to view test results, medical histories, billing, and more.
While there are many benefits to utilizing EHRs, there are also cons to consider. Understanding the pros and cons of electronic health records will help you decide what technologies to use in your practice.
What is an EHR System?
An EHR system is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. It is an electronic tool that allows medical professionals to create, store, and share health records. Moreover, it also has features to increase patient engagement with real-time updates and comprehensive history information. It is a centralized collection of the patient’s entire healthcare journey.
Electronic health records often include:
- Medical history
- Treatment plans and notes
- Appointment overviews and notes
- Medications
- Diagnoses
- Test and lab results
- Billing information
EHR Software & HIPAA Compliance
The HIPAA Security Rule was approved in 2003 to outline the minimum security standards for protecting electronic personal health information (ePHI). The rule summarizes cybersecurity practices to safeguard data from unauthorized use.
In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) was passed to align technological requirements with HIPAA. The law incentivized the use of EHRs and increased privacy and security standards.
Having an EHR brings new responsibilities for safeguarding ePHI. Your practice will have to conduct a security risk analysis to identify any potential security weaknesses or flaws. Based on the findings, you will need to make changes to reduce risks and comply with HIPAA rules. Properly configured EHRs will provide more protection and higher security than possible with paper files.
The Pros and Cons of an EHR System
The potential advantages and disadvantages of an EHR system may vary based on the specifics of your practice and your goals for the system itself. However, understanding both will help you understand the impact an EHR system could have on your practice.
The Pros
One of the greatest advantages of an EHR system is communication. The platform allows medical professionals to message colleagues and patients instantly. This saves tremendous amounts of time, allowing providers to make quicker decisions and provide care without delay.
Increased communication also improves collaboration. Each provider can make real-time updates to a patient’s chart and all offices will be instantly aware of the patient’s current status. Collaborative care has been proven to reduce adverse drug reactions, prevent emergency hospitalizations, and decrease mortality rates.
Centralized patient information reduces errors and streamlines workflow with the use of automation. Manual input of information is susceptible to human error and misplaced documents. An EHR system organizes all data in a centralized location for quick retrieval and automatic data entry.
An effective EHR system increases the level of access a patient has to their health information, improving patient engagement and allowing patients to have an active role in their healthcare journey. When patients are better informed, they have a more satisfying healthcare experience.
The Cons
A disadvantage of implementing an EHR system is start-up and maintenance costs. The transition to a digital format will have initial fees. You will also need to train employees and maintain the system. However, the financial benefits in the long run will far outweigh any initial investments.
Although an EHR system is much more secure than traditional paper-based systems, there are still chances that your data could be breached. With an EHR system, it is your responsibility to manage cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities because you are liable if a breach occurs. That means that you will need to stay on top of software updates and security patches, as well as conduct routine security risk analyses.
Find the Right EHR System with Record Nations
EHR systems provide many benefits to healthcare providers. Not only can you better organize your records, but you can improve communication, collaboration, and patient care. Contact Record Nations by calling (866) 385-3706 or filling out the form and we will help you select the right system for your practice. Our experts are standing by to answer your questions and help you make the transition to an EHR system today.
