The healthcare industry has experienced significant improvements due in part to the adoption of software systems like electronic health records (EHRs), which optimize a number of processes. According to data from The Office of National Coordinator For Health Information Technology, 76% percent of US providers are using an EHR system since 2014.
The report also found that more than 50 million people were enrolled in LEM insurance plans during this period, with many choosing not to hold Medicare or Medicaid benefits because they could purchase private insurance through insurers who took these low-income earners cost-effectively.
Digitizing data is the key to more efficient patient treatment. A lot of people are looking at how EHR software can streamline medical practices and cut down on costs, which will ultimately benefit patients as well.
What is EHR software?
Healthcare providers and patients alike can access all patient information with an electronic health record system. This provides for better quality treatment and instant recall at any time during your day or night if needed.
For a better understanding of what EHR software consists of, let’s consider its core features:
- Health information databases are crucial for making treatment decisions regarding diagnosis, allergies, and more. They store clinical data, such as lab test results or medications, which can be accessed using an electronic format.
- The result management system allows physicians to quickly access and manage test results, providing unparalleled efficiency for busy practices.
- The order feature helps to reduce medical errors by providing electronic processing of orders and prescriptions.
- This patient support feature gives patients access to their health records, which can help them carry out at-home monitoring.
Now let’s take a closer look at what advantages EHR systems can provide.
Reducing medical errors
Medical errors are a severe problem in the United States, and according to Martin Makary and Michael Daniel, there is an annual death toll of more than 250 thousand due to them.
Data-driven healthcare is the future of personalized care. EHR software helps doctors make better diagnoses and preventive measures. At the same time, digital records keep track of everything from weight loss plans to cholesterol levels in real time so patients can stay healthier for longer.
EHR systems have revolutionized the healthcare industry by eliminating tedious data entry requirements, allowing doctors to spend more time on patient care and accuracy.
The use of an electronic health record (EHR) is associated with greater efficiency in diagnosis as it provides reliable access for complete past medical history from one place; this allows practitioners more efficient treatment and better outcomes than those achieved through penmanship notes taken at each visit.
Increased quality of care
The findings from this survey show that 75% of US doctors believe EHR software has allowed them to provide better patient care. As for the patients, 85 percent think digital records will significantly improve their quality.
The use of EHRs can improve the quality and accessibility for patients by providing accurate information about lab results, and insurance coverage and making treatment recommendations accessible.
Now let’s look in detail at what exactly an EHR does to achieve better care:
- With an EHR, doctors are able to quickly and accurately diagnose patients. They have access to patient data and treatments that have been attempted before for accurate diagnoses of what might be wrong with you. With e-prescribing, patients can receive prescriptions in an easy-to-read digital format and avoid the hassle of indecipherable handwriting.
- EHRs have made it possible for physicians to receive instant notifications about their patients’ test results, which can be crucial in making timely decisions. Patients will also benefit from this service because they’ll never miss another appointment or forget anything important.
- Computer-aided diagnosis is becoming more and more popular, with software algorithms being used to improve the detection of visual abnormalities like lung nodules or pigmented skin lesions.
The power of (big) data
With the help of EHRs, physicians can make better treatment decisions. The system brings together all available information on one page – it’s like having your google search bar at home.
It’s no surprise that patients are eager to have their data collected so they can receive higher-quality care. Medical technology has evolved, and with it comes more options for how we monitor the health of individuals in order to make better treatment decisions based on what is needed at any given time during an individual’s life cycle – from newborns right up until death itself.
The powerful advantages of EHR predictive analytics are demonstrated in the case study at Kaiser Permanente. Their own algorithm helped them precisely predict which newborns would need treatment for infection, and they were able to save 250K babies from unnecessary antibiotics by using this information.
As we can see from these examples (and many more), successful use cases such as those featured here provide compelling proof that AI is not only possible but necessary when solving problems with high stakes environments like healthcare or law enforcement- where lives depend on accurate outcomes; If you’re looking into implementing any form of machine learning within your team’s workflow – do some research first.
Streamlined workflow
The implementation of an EHR system has been shown to improve patient care and speed up documentation processes. One healthcare provider who successfully implemented this software saw their speeds for processing paperwork increase by nearly 17%.
The full potential of EHR solutions is only unlocked when healthcare providers take advantage and leverage their investments in the technology
- With EHR, medical staff can focus on what they do best. Paperwork is avoided and all costs of transcription are eliminated by using an electronic health record which saves time for doctors’ offices as well.
- With EHR solutions, doctors can create notes twice as fast by using templates. For instance, when a patient fully recovers from an illness or injury and their condition is stable enough for them not to need further care in the hospital room – which means less time spent dealing with charts and paperwork on top of everything else- medical staff will be able to save themselves hours every day.
- With EHR software, doctors can communicate with one another about a patient’s care and share information. Thanks to the robust coordination of treatment plans by medical staff members this will eliminate unnecessary treatments as well as remove some burden from them.
- With EHR, medical providers can easily find comprehensive files containing all patient treatment data. This is beneficial for both the provider and patient as it enables them to have access not only their current care but also any past treatments they may need in order to get better faster.
The future of healthcare may be in EHR software, which can help providers save money and improve patient care by automating basic tasks. This technology also has many other benefits for doctors’ offices including increased revenue due to reduced risk factors associated with medical mistakes.
