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Pros and Cons of Electronic Health Records

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Jhon Emelia

You already understand the importance of computer and software systems in healthcare delivery, particularly in terms of increasing staff productivity and treating more patients more effectively. That is true in general, but not all healthcare practitioners are familiar with the electronic health care record, or EHR software, which is used in hospitals, offices, and clinics across the country.

In the area of medicine, computerization is essential to handle the massive amounts of data created and stored for each patient by medical offices, clinics, and hospitals. EHR software helps practices save time and money while also allowing them to connect with insurers, hospitals, and referring physicians in real-time.

However, some medical institutions continue to rely on generic software to manage patient data, oblivious to the complexity of an EHR solution. When the clinic initially opened its doors, a simple database could have sufficed, but a software solution specialized in the demands of medical workers is considerably more appropriate.

Before committing to implementing and training personnel in the use of an EHR solution, a medical practice manager or owner should weigh the potential advantages as well as the potential negatives. With that in mind, consider the following advantages and disadvantages of electronic health records, which can aid your team in determining how the software will work with your present system.


The Pros of Electronic Health Records

Financial benefits, templates, and patient portal capabilities are just a few of the advantages of electronic health records to consider:


Financial Opportunities

Your company must employ certified EHRs with digital patient records. That's what's required to show Meaningful Use and qualify for Medicare and Medicaid payment incentives (the government encourages EHR usage in the name of efficiency and promotes the use of the software accordingly).

Additional government financial incentives are available only if doctors utilize an EHR to prove their compliance with value-based care efforts, such as data to support the Patient-Centered Medical Home or PCHM model.


Time-Saving Templates

One of the most significant advantages of electronic health records is the availability of pre-designed templates. Staff members will type in much different information for an oncology appointment than for a patient visiting the OB/GYN, so using templates, whether for general practice encounters with patients or for use in a specialty, will ensure that they always input the correct information about patients before closing the updated record.


The Cons of Electronic Health Records

When it comes to computerized patient records, you must be cautious about allowing unauthorized access to the information. As you prepare to implement an electronic health record system, keep the following drawbacks in mind:


The Developer Fails to Provide Timely Updates

Another disadvantage would be if the EHR was created by a developer who hadn't updated it in a long time. Updates to a cloud-based system would presumably be made automatically, ensuring that consumers had the most up-to-date EHR. (This is supported by the MedicsCloud EHR.)


Not Following Software Industry Best Practices

Worse, the developers might not be able to improve their EHR in compliance with industry best practices and regulatory laws. It's ideal to work with an EHR software vendor who has a track record and has been in business for a long time.



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