Introduction
Just as the name suggests, an electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart that contains real-time, patient-centered records. It makes information available quickly and safely to authorized users. The clinicians use the EHR to access a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results. They are vital in healthcare and IT because of the automation and simplification of provider workflow. Hence, it supports other care-related activities directly or indirectly, including quality management, evidence-based decision support, and outcomes reporting.
Facility EHR Program
Allscripts Healthcare Solutions is a publicly traded company based in Chicago, United States. Its journey began in 1982 as Medic Computer Systems but rebranded to AllScripts in 1986. The company has grown in the industry through mergers and acquisitions. For instance, it merged with Misys Healthcare Systems LLC of London in 2008. In 2017, Allscripts acquired McKesson Corp.’s EHR technology, known as Paragon, making it among the top three hospital-oriented EHR vendors in terms of total revenue. It mainly competes with Epic Systems and Cerner.
Our organization adopted AllScripts EHR systems in 2018 due to its growth and future outlook in the industry. The company provides us with the Sunrise EHR system that contains modules for laboratory systems, surgery, emergency room, wound care, and ambulatory services.
Benefits: Enhances Service Delivery and Reduced Costs
The use of EHR systems allows different providers to update patient data in real-time. In such a way, other healthcare practitioners have access to up-to-date and factual patient information. The EHR connects every doctor or consultant involved all through a person’s healthcare attention. Continuity is very beneficial, particularly when a patient switches providers or discovers a new medic. The physician will have access to a comprehensive background of the patient’s medical history, instead of compelling them to start from scratch. This helps to reduce duplication of tests and delays in treatment, which saves on spending and facilitates better decision-making. Not only do physicians have access to use more accurate patient diagnosis and treatment but also save time.
Benefits: Improved Efficiency and Effectiveness
In general, the use of digital records substantially reduces errors and mistakes caused due to handwriting and legibility problems. EHRs facilitate quick access to patient data, which improves effectiveness and at the same time enhances the healthcare operational efficiency. The patients can also access the patient portals through which they can look at their historical medical data such as medications, lab and imaging results, and diagnoses, among others. This affords them the necessary knowledge that they can use to communicate with their doctors by comparing notes, exchanging instant messages, and even video calling.
Benefits: Reduced Medical Errors
EHRs are the next step in the continued progress of healthcare that can strengthen the relationship between patients and clinicians. EHR can improve patient care by reducing the incidence of medical errors by improving the accuracy and clarity of medical records. An EHR system provides medical practitioners with health analytics that enable them to identify trends, predict diagnoses, and propose highly effective treatment options. Therefore, the analytics improves the efficacy of overall patient results in the first time, as opposed to just leaning on trial-and-error procedures. Reducing medical errors by improving the accuracy and clarity of medical records.
Specific and Overall Drawbacks: Security
Just like any other computer system, EHR is exposed to issues relating to the privacy and safety of patient information. It is every patient’s and physician’s desire that the patient’s data is safeguarded against the threat of security breaches and conceivable cyber attacks, which is incredibly challenging. An organization may fail to institute appropriate data security systems, thereby exposing the EHR to such vulnerabilities. Some medical practitioners may use their positions to access patient information that they may use for individual economic gains.
Specific and Overall Concerns: Cost
The implementation of EHRs places a significant financial burden on both providers and the organization. The system not only has to be bought, but they often have to employ experienced IT staff for support and training. Training associated with adopting EHRs, demands substantial time from physicians and staff – time that is taken away from patient care.
Specific and Overall Concerns: Privacy
Today, the majority of the population in the country owns a mobile device. These devices have evolved to perform many functions, especially because of the increased development and use of different applications, including health. Hence, there is also a growing trend among physicians to use their mobile devices in sending critical patient data. This further exposes the patient’s information about private beaches. The information can fall into the hands of people with malicious intentions that threaten the health of a patient.
The solution to Concerns: Encryption
Privacy and security breaches can be contained using encryption. This involves encoding information related to an EHR system in such a fashion that only permissible parties have access to it. Encryption is mainly achieved with the use of an encryption key that specifies how the data should be decrypted. Particular priority should be given to sensitive information, such as patients’ names, Social Security numbers, addresses, and in isolated cases, diagnosis-related information. Encryption can then be reinforced by the use of strong passwords and cloud storage.
The solution to Concerns: Discourage the use of Personal Mobile Devices
There is also a growing trend among physicians to use their mobile devices in sending critical patient data. This further exposes the patient information to privacy and security beaches. The facility should discourage such behaviors as mobile devices are intended for personal use and do not constitute centralized management by an IT Department. The devices can easily be lost, destroyed, or stolen. The facility should implement the usage of a two-factor authentication system with security tokens and passwords to help secure EHRs.
Solutions to Concerns: Seek Support
To overcome the aspect of cost providers and the organization can seek financial backing from the government and financiers. Non-governmental organizations can help to train the staff. It is good to inform staff of the expected gains of the EHR systems.
Reflection
I have learned that an EHR system helps to store patient information in a digital form from which it can be accessed by different healthcare providers. The main advantage of the system is providing a centralized point of access for patient data, which enhances service delivery. However, this poses a challenge in the form of privacy and security breaches through theft of information and cyber attacks. I learned that this concern can be limited by using encryption, strong passwords, and cloud storage. I also understand that it is risky to use a personal mobile device in sending patient information. This should be avoided to ensure the safety of patient information. I can share this information with colleagues and staff through everyday practice and staff meetings
Conclusion
In summary, an EHR is a digital form of a patient chart. There are many providers of EHR systems with our organization preferring to use the AllScripts Sunrise EHR System. Allscripts is among the top three EHR system providers in the country and was founded in 1982. The EHR system has many advantages mainly enabling the central access of patient information by different medical providers. The main concern of the EHR systems is the privacy and security of patient data. This can be managed through encryption, the use of strong passwords, and cloud storage. Also, the increasing trend among practitioners to use personal mobile devices to send patient information needs to be discouraged as it further exposes the data to security breaches.
References
Anshari, M. (2019). Redefining Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) to Promote Patient Empowerment. IJID (International Journal on Informatics for Development), 8(1), 35.
Gartee, R. (2017). Electronic health records : understanding and using computerized medical records. Pearson.
Marlow, M. L. (2018). Should Government Subsidize Electronic Health Records? SSRN Electronic Journal.