Benefits of Electronic Health Records

Quality Care is a variety of EHR benefits that come along with the use of software, providing greater care. These records help the organizations to improve the patient safety and treatment effectiveness and increasing their operational efficiency.

EHRs provide physicians detailed health records which help recognize the patterns, predict diagnosis and provide potential treatment options. This leads to more successful patient results the first time, rather simply relying on trial-and-error methods.

Patients are able to access medical history such as lab/imaging results, medications, diagnosis and more through the use of patient portals. They can communicate with their physicians by sharing notes, exchanging instant messages and even video calling. Both physicians and patients can use the portal to track an individual’s treatment progress.

More Accurate Patient Information

Originally introduced as an alternative to paper medical records — in an effort to make storing and accessing patient information easier — electronic records have revealed a variety of additional advantages. For one, storing records electronically eliminates the risk of any theft, misplacement, damage or tampering of sensitive data. Also worth noting is the amount of mistakes and errors due to handwriting and legibility issues that can be eliminated by doing so electronically.

As physicians are dealing with their patients, they are able to update patient information in real time, giving other healthcare professionals an up-to-date, accurate patient file at the point of care. This electronic record can follow a patient wherever they go, connecting every clinician or specialist involved throughout an individual patient’s healthcare. This continuum of treatment is very helpful, especially when a patient switches providers or sees a new physician, because it provides each professional with a detailed background of the patient’s medical history, rather than requiring them to start from scratch

Interoperability

EHRs that can interface with other systems allow your practice to optimize continuity of care. If your patients need to see specialists, manage chronic conditions such as diabetes or plan on transitioning to a home health care environment for recuperation or hospice, an EHR system that offers interoperability is critical.

Increase Efficiency

Like we mentioned above, EHRs allow your physicians to provide more accurate treatment and diagnosis, but they also allow you to save time. By speeding up appointments and office visits without sacrificing a patient-centered approach, health providers are able to see more patients on a daily basis, increasing their facility’s overall traffic.

Built-in templates help the physicians document common data issues or complaints rather than writing. These templates are often made for specific specialties and created for a physician’s individual needs.

E-Prescribing has become standard practice for most healthcare organizations or medical specialties. Today, many healthcare organizations throughout the country (depending on which state they are located) are required to prescribe electronically. This is due to the abuse and addiction connected to controlled substances, specifically opioids. Prescriptions can be sent to the pharmacy electronically while at the point of care. EHR can automatically check any drug-to-drug or drug-to-allergy interactions which may occur on a patient’s current medication and/or diagnosis

Increase in Revenue

Nearly every business has the same goal of maximizing their revenue to the fullest. That’s also often true when it comes to healthcare organizations. While providing more accurate care is the top priority, an increase in revenue is practically a byproduct of that.

EHRs provide billing and payment tools to help manage financials and assure payment is collected. Claims can automatically be swept and scrubbed of any mistakes or coding errors which could otherwise lead to rejections. This increases your first-time acceptance rate when it comes to insurance claims, helping you get reimbursed quicker without missing out on lost or delayed claims. EHR allows physicians to record each and every aspect of a patient visit, which allows evidence to be provided regarding individual claims.

Another aspect worth noting is the monetary government incentives that come with the implementation and use of an EHR system. Organizations can earn tens of thousands of dollars simply for implementing a certified solution and meeting meaningful use standards. It’s worth noting that the penalties for not meeting these requirements can be just as steep as the incentives. The best EHR software is designed to help your practice meet meaningful use guidelines and prepare you for upcoming mandates in future stages. The cost of implementing an EHR is typically fairly expensive; however, these government incentives help your organization afford it.

• Providing up-to-date, and accurate complete information about patients at the point of care
• Enabling easy access to patient records for efficient care
• Sharing electronic information with patients and other clinicians securely
• Help in providing effectively diagnose patients, and provide safer care to reduce medical errors.
• Improving interpersonal relationship and communication, as well as health care convenience for everyone
• Enabling safer, more reliable prescribing
• Helps in promoting legible, complete documentation
• Enhancing privacy and security of patient data
• Helping providers improve productivity and work-life balance
• Help in providing information efficiently and to meet their business goals
• It helps in reducing costs through decreased paperwork, reduced duplication of testing, and improved health.