Take a look around. Everywhere you look you see digital technology. It has made a huge impact on many aspects of our lives. Quite possibly the biggest impact has been in the healthcare industry. A perfect example of this is the use of Electronic Health Records. In this article we examine the future of Electronic Health Records and it’s place in the healthcare industry.
Electronic Health Records
Let’s start off by looking at what is an Electronic Health Record. An Electronic Health Record, or EHR for short, is a digital version of a patient’s medical chart. The EHR includes important items. These items include the documentation collected during the patients visit to the office. This can include medical history, diagnoses, treatment plans, medications, allergies, imaging, test results, and administrative information. Furthermore, this record is maintained over time, updated in real time, and can be readily accessed when needed by authorized healthcare practitioners.
These systems are a critical form of technology that currently have a huge impact on the healthcare industry. Moreover, they will continue to transform this field well into the future.
The Healthcare Industry
The healthcare field has already experienced some effects of EHR. Such as the reduction of test duplication, reduced delays in treatment, and streamlined work flows of patient care. Additionally, one study indicated that EHR use is associated with increased clinician productivity. An EHR system offers quick access to patient information. Moreover, this has given physicians and other healthcare workers the ability to easily tracking patient information.
Enhancing Electronic Health Records Usability
Other tools may be used to enhance the use of EHR technology. As a matter of fact, a recent study showed physicians have brought up some concerns regarding the usability of the EHR. This includes time-consuming data entry in particular. However, some software programs may potentially reduce or eliminate these issues. One such program, Dragon Medical, offers providers medically-tailored speech recognition software to assist with documentation. Using this type of software, healthcare providers can dictate a patient’s data into an EHR, saving time and labor in their work process.
Looking Into The Future
Research shows that the vast majority of physicians prefer the EHR, over paper charts. As the EHR evolves, its effects on the healthcare industry are expanding. in conclusion, it’s safe to say that EHR technology will influence the future of healthcare and continue to revolutionize healthcare.