When it comes to EHR implementation, the name of the game is “saving.” By switching from tangible paper records to electronic ones, health facilities are able to save resources which range from physical items like paper which cost money, take up space, and generate further waste, as well as meaningful and invaluable resources (to patients and the healthcare providers) such as value, time, efficiency and patient safety .
Save Trees
When the topic of electronic health records comes up, the first benefit is obvious: no paper waste. By eliminating the need for paper resources, facilities take a huge step towards environmental conservation. It is no secret that environmental degradation is taking shape and now more than ever there is an urgency to take every step possible to save on unnecessary waste of resources. Besides, the state of the environment may play a role in the health of the patients too.
However, the switch is not only an ethically conscious adjustment. The change also emerges in goals for efficiency. For example-- paper records welcome the possibility of recording inaccurate or illegible information. Sloppy handwriting or stick-on notes that can just as easily stick-off can lead to misunderstandings between professionals that could result in fatal impacts on a patient’s health outcome. Even if handwriting is clear and concise, the potential to gloss over information, mismark, or create other errors is rather high.
Many healthcare workers trust electronic records over paper ones and claim that online charts are better organized than paper ones. Instead of sifting through paper documents, information can emerge through keyword configuration or simple category clicking, which is more efficient than the alternative. Research shows that critical information is often lost in the process of paper keeping, which results in a need to re-order tests and take up more resources. Not to mention time.
Save Time
On top of saving physical resources such as paper, pens, cabinets, and other storage systems, time is a major resource saved when using electronic health records. Consider the following: a patient comes to the office, their file needs to be sorted through filing cabinets, and there is only one copy, which can get lost easily. The one piece of paper is handed back and forth between members of the facility. The patient feels out of the loop and disconnected and should he or she move or need to get the information to a different healthcare facility, more time is spent retrieving and sending and potentially losing or misdirecting. However, with electronic records, the information is always present at the click of a button. This saves time both for healthcare workers and patients waiting on results.
While some doctors put faith in paper records, most consider electronic ones to be more secure. Certainly, there is potential for information vulnerability in both cases. Computers can also be compromised, but with a trusted hosting provider, internal electronic storage is safer that physical copies which are still susceptible to unauthorized accessibility on top of physical harm that could come from loss of resources, disasters such as floods, fires, or more. In this case, all the patient information is gone, and everyone needs to start from scratch. If electronic records are held maintained with a proper server, even if the computers break, the files will stay safe and preserved.
Save Patients
If there is one thing paper records can’t do, it is alert you when something more needs to be done. An EHR system will send reminders when a patient needs to come in or when results are received. Patients also have the ability to see their information online and review it at their own pace. This allows them to feel more comfortable with the results, and take the time with their own records to consider questions and appropriate next steps with healthcare practitioners. This way, patients do not feel rushed or that records are inaccessible, healthcare workers are able to see their patients with more time, and every step of the way in a process that is often stressful as it is feels more secure than ever.
Sarah Lisovich is a Chicago based Health IT strategist at CIA Medical. With multiple years’ association with various health care IT venders and the impact of various systems on medical practices, Ms. Lisovich explores the revolutionary world of healthcare technology in the hope of opening doors to those interested in the field by building an online community.