The world today has drastically transformed because of digital technology such as tablets, web-enabled devices, and smart phones, that have, in turn, transformed people’s daily lives and the way in which they communicate. Medicine is considered to be an information-rich initiative. A greater and continuous flow of information in the digital healthcare infrastructure that is created by electronic health records of EHRs includes and leverages a digital progress and can change the way health care is delivered and compensated. With EHRs, information is usually available whenever and wherever it is required. In this case, EMR includes the standard clinical and medical data that is collected. In addition, it has a comprehensive history of the patients. A good example of the application of EMRs is that it is designed to store and share information from all the providers who are involved in the care of the patient. EHR data can be developed, managed, and also consulted by authorized staff and providers from various health care organizations. The benefits of EHR include; improving the care of patients, improved care coordination, it helps organizations practice cost savings and efficiencies, increases the participation of patients, and improves diagnosis and patient care. Even with the advantages, it is crucial to analyze the current state of EHR and make the necessary adjustments for improvements.
The current state of EHR
An electronic health record or EHR is considered to be an electronic or a digital record of the health information of patients that is collected over the history of the interaction between the patient and the healthcare system. It stores all the information that relates to the health status of a patient. The information in the EHR often varies and includes data related to past medical history, radiology report, age and sex, vital signs, laboratory data, and medication.
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The adoption of the electronic health record has been difficult because of its current state. More specifically, there is a lack of return on investment because decision makers in the healthcare system often find it difficult to demonstrate the level of return on investment that will make them undertake a detailed electronic health record system in their various organizations. In addition costs of health care continues to increase and the initial investment of the equipment is often expensive. However, the recommended solution to this problem is to state the realistic expectation that relates to challenges when implementing the record. A research conducted by JMIR Medical Informatics (2014) indicated that the application of the electronic health records in clinical settings is vital to the health care delivery system that is patient-centered. However, the researchers noted that there is often uncertainty in recovering the cost of its implementation, which is a concern to primary care practices. From the research done, the results indicated that primary care clinics often recovered their cost of investment at an average period of ten months and it also saw an increase in the active-patient-to-clinician-full time equivalent (FTE) ratio (JMIR Medical Informatics, 2014) . In other words, the results were seen to be positively associated with the implementation of EHR and were likely to contribute to and an average break-even point for approximately ten months. It also means that a positive ROI cannot be seen automatically when the system has been implemented.
Another factor that complicates the implementation of the electronic health record is that the data that is used is heavily structured and is often recorded in the allotted space. It means that training is very crucial and is needed by a big portion of the population. It is vital to note that the population often has varying levels of computer literacy and thus its implementation has slowly been increasing in many hospitals. It has become vital to take the necessary steps in implementing the systems by making sure that there is enough knowledge in the field ( Renfro-Michel, 2016). It is vital for the government to test all the Medical programs and Medicare before implementing the system. However, the best solution to the problem is to state expectations that are realistic and which relate to challenges when implementing the record. Training is also vital in making sure that those who are implementing the system have the necessary knowledge.
The third issue that affects the system is the fact that a small percentage of doctors in the United States use the electronic medical record system because of various barriers and also the perceptions that relate to the implementation of the system. For example, just having the system is not enough because it has to have. “meaningful use” meaning that it has to improve the quality, security, communication, efficiency, and access in the delivery of health care and other functions. The meaningful use requirement is vital for a physician to get the full reimbursement from the Medicaid and Medicare. Those who have a system that meets the requirement often face the risk of getting penalties in the form a reduction in the Medicare payments. The reduction encourages physicians to implement systems that meet the meaningful use requirements. Considering that the issues are expected to have a huge effect on their income and their willingness to implement the system. Therefore, the solution to the issue is for the physicians to comply with the meaningful use requirement so as to enjoy the incentive that comes with its implementation (Health IT, 2017) .
The EHR system is usually designed for large hospitals and primary care practices, and there is a risk that they may not meet the needs of specialists. Physicians would have to choose a system that is certified and will need the required function that will need. In addition, the system that they choose will need the physicians to train so that they can benefit from its implementation. The basic knowledge of computers is an aspect that many physicians still lack. However, this does not apply to younger physicians who are willing to adapt the system because they have prior knowledge of how to use computers. The best solution recommended to the issue is training physicians so that they can learn the processes and functions of the system and so that they can benefit from the system. Some offices will choose to train some employees depending on their financial ability. In addition, the comfort levels and the diversity in computer abilities will also have an effect on the price, amount, and complexity of training needed for every physician and their staff for the system. Training will make sure that the advantages of using it have been realized and that it is effectively applied in the healthcare system.
Technology a greatly changed and transformed the healthcare system and has also people’s daily lives and the way in which they communicate. Medicine is considered to be an information-rich initiative. An electronic health record or EHR is vital because it is a digital record of the health information of patients that is collected over the history of the interaction between the patient and the healthcare system. It stores all the information that relates to the health status of a patient. However, currently, it faces issues that include; increased implementation costs, inability to determine its return on investment, lack of enough knowledge on how to use it, and the need for it to meet the “meaningful use” requirement.
References
Health IT . (2017, 08 07). What is Meaningful Use? Retrieved from Health IT : https://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/ehr-incentives-certification
JMIR Medical Informatics. (2014). Return on Investment in Electronic Health Records in Primary Care Practices: A Mixed-Methods Study. JMIR Med Inform , Pp. 25.
Renfro-Michel, E. L., & Rousmaniere, T. (2016). Using technology to enhance clinical supervision .
