Electronic medical record systems have been a part of large Healthcare organizations for years, and are not going away anytime soon. In fact, now small clinics and single doctor practices have started installing and using them. The question many of these doctors ask, however, is, "what can an EMR system do for me?"
Quick Prescription Transfer - It's a classic part of the practice of medicine - doctor handwriting illegibility. Funny as it sounds (and it doesn't concern every practitioner, of course), this is a huge issue across North America. With an electronic medical record system, however, unlike handwritten prescriptions, there is little to no chance of incorrect prescriptions or dosage. Doctors will also have to take fewer calls regarding prescriptions, which can build up fast when it comes to patient time.
Web Based Lab Results - Waiting for couriers and telephone calls for test results has until now been a very necessary, albeit painful part of the physician's schedule. Meanwhile, patients call again and again to discover their test results, taking valuable minutes from your medical assistants. However, by allowing patients to get their test results via the web (a feature many robust electronic medical record systems include), much time and effort is saved.
EMR Mobility - One of the clear advantages of an electronic medical record system is that the physician (and the patient) has access to important medical history and records from wherever they access the web. Helping patients from remote locations is now possible, and doctors in other areas can be given complete and secure access from wherever they are. The patient benefits the most here, as the simple access to their information will ensure their treatment is very unlikely to be wrong.
Prescription Conflicts Solved - No doctor wants to prescribe a medication that will conflict with something a patient is already taking, but let's face it, it happens. With a well updated electronic medical record, however, there are rarely difficulties with conflicts, and often, warnings are built right into the application. Problem solved!
Besides the drug interaction issue, a well designed EMR system is extremely cost-effective. Many HMOs recommend using an electronic medical record system for prescriptions mainly because the overall paper processing costs are dramatically lower Also, generics can be automatically chosen for the patient, ensuring they get the best meds for the best price.
The entire diagnosis and patient interaction process can be completely redefined by a well designed and adopted EMR software system. By enabling better communication between the practitioner and patient and insurance company and doctor, huge cost can be had by the Healthcare industry. No longer is communication an issue with lab results and prescriptions. Suddenly, treating a patient that is quite far from your practice doesn't seem like such an impossible situation. With full electronic medical record system adoption, the American Healthcare system will benefit, and those benefits start today.
The amount of minutes spent both in regards to in-person patient diagnosis and also telephone conversations areslashed dramatically with a well-designed system. The Federal Government knew in 2009 that not only was EMR a great concept for the country, but for the future of healthcare in general. Have you benefited yet?
Carl Hardy is a educator at Electronic Medical Records Group and the editor of http://www.electronicmedicalrecords.org. Check out selection hints and read more about Medical Records Software issues here.
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