Electronic health records (EHRs) are real-time digital files of a patient’s medical history, laboratory tests, diagnoses, medication among other patient records. The implementation of EHRs has many advantages both to health workers and patients. However, its application has faced many challenges with hospitals facing a hard decision on the most appropriate approach to use (Amatayakul, 2009). This paper attempts to discuss proposals to implementing EHRs, challenges of implementing EHRs as well as the various strategies that can be used to ensure successful implementation.
One of the approaches to implementing EHRs being practiced by hospitals today is the blended approach (Beiber, Richards, & Walker, 2005). This approach focuses on achieving full use of EHRs by integrating medical transcriptions as a component of EHRs. In this approach, physicians use templates that they are familiar with and are still able to dictate details of a patient visit. Another proposal to successful implementation is the Flexible Starting Point approach. Under this approach, physicians and health workers are slowly introduced to template-based reporting with a variety of choice of input methods and ensure step by step implementation.
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Successful implementation of EHRs has not only improved efficiency in healthcare, but it has also minimized the likelihood of medical errors thus enabling safe and more consistent prescribing (Hristidis, 2009). It has also ensured up-to-date records that are easy to retrieve and increased patient participation. The quality of health records has also improved as legible and complete records are maintained. EHRs are also easy to share and enhance privacy and safety of patient’s information. Health providers have however not been able to entirely accrue the advantages of EHRs due to the challenges faced by the implementation.
EHRs implementation has for a long time been viewed as a technological issue while it is indeed a workforce issue (Hristidis, 2009). The system poses a challenge of poor clinician buy-in as they feel the systems do not address their concerns. Other problems include: selecting the system to adapt, poor EHR designs with cumbersome processes and restrictive features, data lock, transitioning of health records and EHR systems lacking a platform to allow physicians regular practice and work patterns.
Ultimately, this paper has provided insight on the approaches of implementing EHRs, the merits of EHRs, challenges of implementing EHRs and some of the strategies that have worked in ensuring successful implementation of EHRs. The problems mentioned can, however, be addressed by involving physicians in the implementation process, developing an implementation plan to allow proper transitioning of health records, right organization culture to ensure physician buy-in, clinical content standardization to enable physicians regular practices and training the workforce to use the EHR systems effectively. EHR designs should also be patient-centered.
References
Amatayakul, M. K. (2009). Electronic health records: A practical guide for professionals and organizations . Chicago: American Health Information Management
Bieber, E. J., Richards, F. M., & Walker, J. M. (2005). Implementing an electronic health record system .
Hristidis, V. (Ed.). (2009). Information discovery on electronic health records . CRC Press.
