Patients obtain good medical care when health care providers have access to relevant information. EHRs can increase the ability to diagnose diseases and mitigate errors, resulting in better patient outcomes. The advancements in Electronic health records (EHRs) technology has progressed substantially since the passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in 2009. HITECH incorporates incentives that offer reimbursements for hospitals and healthcare providers who deploy certified EHR technology and comply with meaningful use criteria.

The use of electronic health records (EHRs) has surged in recent years. It is the process of converting paper-based patient health records to digital versions. This technique is being used by many hospitals. According to federal data from the United States, It was less than ten percent in 2008.  It was nearly 84 percent in 2015. Adoption is the only way for healthcare professionals to experience the maximum potential of EHRs to enhance people’s health.

A significant piece of evidence appears from a national poll of doctors who are ready for effective use:

• 94 percent of providers said their EHR allows them to access patient records quickly at the point of care.
• 88 percent of practices believe that using EHR helps them improve their clinical outcomes.
• 75 percent of providers say their EHR helps them provide quality patient care.

Below listed are some aspects in which EHR creates a major difference in care quality.

Smarter Decision Making

When healthcare providers have complete data on patient health, they can rapidly decide the diagnosis phase. EHRs can notify physicians when a new medication is prescribed that is considered unsafe based on the patient’s other medications, health conditions, or allergies. They can also notify physicians on prescribing a new medication that is contraindicated based on the other medications, health conditions, or allergies of the patients.

Care teams follow the same approach. When everyone has near-real-time access to the same patient data, it’s facile to allocate roles and collaborate as a team. From record sharing to better decision-making, EHRs boost productivity on practically every level.

Enhanced Care Coordination

Physicians, nurses, specialists, and other personnel work as a team to meet the requirements of each patient.   The care team’s picture of a patient may become fragmented without the overview provided by an EHR. Many of the issues that doctors confront, particularly communication and decision-making constraints, are alleviated by EHRs.

Improved Patient Safety

Patient wait times are reduced because of integrated portals and scheduling systems. Patient portals and appointment scheduling tools help to cut down on wait times for patients.  They also enhance collaboration between patients and physicians, increase efficiency, and boost patient satisfaction. Patients can get their medicines online in a readily accessible forma,t thanks to features like e-prescribing.

Patient Engagement

Establishing effective patient-provider communication is vital. EHRs, patient portals, and mobile health apps are all essential factors in assisting patients in becoming more involved in their care. Patients can access critical healthcare data such as treatment history, lab and other diagnostic test results, prescriptions and investigations, and more through EHR-enabled patient portals.

Cost-effective

The benefit of using an electronic health record is that it allows for the delivery of extremely well-coordinated care. This technology is useful because it allows for more precise and effective patient visits, as well as the elimination of duplicate testing by enabling documentation easier. These crucial factors have been shown to reduce costs for physicians and hospitals, as well as patients who have applied for insurance. With an EHR system, all physicians are familiar with the patient’s conditions, and they may expect the patient to only take the prescription or treatment once, resulting in a single bill.

Wrapping Up

While EHRs have numerous advantages that improve patient care, these advantages are reinforced when interoperability is established, allowing for real-time data sharing among clinicians and organizations. EHR has a plethora of well-documented advantages. Every healthcare organization should warmly welcome it. Access to patient data from any location, at any time, can make a significant difference in initiatives to provide better patient care.