Electronic Health Records Increase Physician Efficiency

Physicians today face unprecedented demands to increase efficiency and patient loads while improving accessibility to health care. The aging population, diabetes epidemic, and chronic shortage of medical providers have been driving forces behind the development of new healthcare technologies such as computerized patient files. Electronic health records (EHR) have been shown to increase physician accuracy and productivity and lead to marked improvements in overall patient safety and care.

EHR Improve Collaborative Health Care 

The use of EHR allows physicians to collaborate with other health care providers quickly, without the need to send faxes, courier lab results, or make lengthy phone calls. Paper-based patient records are subject to loss or damage from fire, floods and natural disasters, compromising patient care and adding costly, time-consuming delays to physicians.

EHR eliminate 'paper-chasing' in hospitals, clinics and private practice settings. Physicians have long been frustrated by delays caused by missing test results, lost scripts and illegible handwriting by peers. Through the use of EHR, caregivers are now using desktop computers, tablets, and even smartphones to review patient files, prescribe medications, and order lab tests without the need for cumbersome, and often redundant, paper files.

Cloud-Based EHR Provide Mobile Access to Patient Records

Advances in cloud-based computing has led to EHR being stored on secure remote servers, allowing authorized personnel, such as physicians, instant access to patient records through any Internet-enabled device. This has led to a dramatic shift in the way that primary caregivers both interact with adjunct services and respond to patient emergencies and hospitalization. Electronic records have led to significant reductions in wait times at both clinics and private practice settings, allowing physicians to both improve patient care and increase their overall patient load.

Other Benefits of EHR

Electronic records enable providers to order tests instantly, prevent prescription errors and fraud, and even send automated patient reminders. EHR minimize the amount of time physicians spend completing cumbersome paperwork, allowing clinicians to focus on providing timely diagnostic services and treatments to their patients.

Ultimately, computer-based records allow physicians to focus their time and energy on what they do best - provide quality medical care for patients.

Key Takeaways:

• Electronic health records allow physicians to collaborate quickly and efficiently
• EHR eliminate cumbersome paperwork and paper-chasing
• EHR protect files from being lost or destroyed