General Points
It should be noted that the primary purpose of the research was reached. The efficiency of the EHR system has been assessed by the two parties, which were healthcare specialists and patients. In the course of the study, all workforce members who use EHRs took part in the evaluation of the system. It was essential to engage two stakeholder groups in the project to ensure that opposing views were juxtaposed and evaluated (Stehlik-Barry & Babinec, 2017). As applied to the workforce, 400 specialists who utilize EHR in their practice participated in the study. Similarly, 400 patients took part in a discharge survey to compare their answers to that of the employees.
Statistical Tools and Descriptive Data
The data were evaluated using SPSS version 16.02 and further transformed into descriptive analysis using percentages and frequencies. Chi-square test was utilized to comprehend the significant difference in answers between two major stakeholder groups (Stehlik-Barry & Babinec, 2017). In terms of the demographics of the population, the respondents came from the US, Mexico, Austria, Spain, and the UK. Five employees did not specify their country of origin.
The workforce participating in the research had varied professional backgrounds. In particular, two-thirds were clinical workers and nurses using EHR in their daily practice, and one-third were doctors. Gender balance was a bit unequal since 37% were male professionals, and 63% were female employees. Different age groups participated in the research; the age range was between 29 and above 50 years.
The research conducted among employees evaluated the satisfaction of workers with the EHR system. It was determined that 63% of the workforce were generally satisfied with EHRs, and they considered them a helpful tool in terms of clinical decision-making. The remaining part of the survey had a neutral position about the system. Interestingly, more than two-thirds of the participants considered that the system allowed quick access to the client’s medical record.
Meanwhile, only one-third of the workforce using EHR believed that the system was effective in preventing medical or prescription errors (Andrus, Forrester, Germain, & Eiland, 2015). Around 70% of the healthcare specialists reckoned that the system could be utilized for preventive care, and 30% were uncertain regarding this capability of the tool.
Patients participating in the research gave positive answers in regards to their satisfaction with the EHR system. However, privacy concerns remain the main barrier in the successful use of the tool (Kruse, Kristof, Jones, Mitchell, & Martinez, 2016).
There were 65% of the participants were unsure of how their data were used, and 35% were neutral. As applied to the workforce, nurses saw security issues as a major concern while doctors did not regard it as a barrier (p<0.001) (Stehlik-Barry & Babinec, 2017). Two-thirds of all healthcare providers interviewed considered that EHR positively affected the overall quality of care. There were 50% of clinical workers who noted that EHRs were the most effective inpatient appointment scheduling.
Analyzing the obtained data, it may be stated that the EHR system has several benefits, which are quick access to patient information for several users, increased quality of care, and support in clinical decision-making. Nevertheless, there is a certain degree of doubt regarding the safety of patient information entered into the system (Kruse et al., 2016). It is crucial that this barrier was noted by both patients and employees.
Limitations
Several aspects do not allow generalizing the research results to a greater population. They are as follows:
- It was impossible to use a random sampling method to gather objective data;
- The sample size was quite small;
- It may be assumed that the participants may have had some interest in promoting the benefits of the system;
- It is possible that the participants were biased when providing their responses. It was impossible to assess and eliminate the possibility of bias;
- The timeframe for the delivery of surveys and questionnaires and gathering the answers was six weeks, which is not enough for collecting illustrative data;
- It was possible to contact employees only during the morning shift. The researcher distributed the survey questions and questionnaires personally, but the answers were then gathered by either administrators or moderators. This may have affected the validity of the results;
- To address the above-stated limitations in future research, it would be helpful to interview employees from several institutions;
- In addition, it would be useful to research other stakeholder groups to determine the barriers and benefits of the system (Kruse et al., 2016);
- Importantly, this will be a less feasible measure, but it would improve the reliability and validity of the results.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that EHRs positively affect quiet wellbeing so that they enhance the ease of use of electronic frameworks. Patients and healthcare specialists are satisfied with the use of this system, but there are concerns regarding the security of patient information, especially from the side of clients. Nonetheless, EHRs assist greatly in clinical decision-making, and there is a positive relationship between the utilization of EHRs and patient security.
References
Andrus, M. R., Forrester, J. B., Germain, K. E., & Eiland, L. S. (2015). Accuracy of pharmacy benefit manager medication formularies in an electronic health record system and the epocrates mobile application. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 21(4), 281-286.
Kruse, C. S., Kristof, C., Jones, B., Mitchell, E., & Martinez, A. (2016). Barriers to electronic health record adoption: A systematic literature review. Journal of Medical Systems, 40(12), 1-7.
Stehlik-Barry, K., & Babinec, A. J. (2017). Data analysis with IBM SPSS statistics. Birmingham, England: Packt Publishing Ltd.