EHR System: Definition, Pros and Cons of Electronic Health Records

What Are Electronic Health Records?

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are a revolutionary advancement in the healthcare industry. It transforms the traditional patient paper record into a dynamic digital platform. This evolution is crucial for enhancing patient care, promoting efficiency, and achieving business objectives within medical providers.

Defining Electronic Health Records

Such types of EHR systems belong to the ones, that storage of which is kept somewhere remotely. So, the information of the patients is on the servers of another entity. And, a third party is responsible for EHR maintenance, security, and ongoing support.

From medical history and diagnoses to medications, treatment plans, and allergies, EHRs compile a comprehensive snapshot of a patient’s health. They enable a holistic view of people’s healthcare journey.

EHRs facilitate immediate access to accurate and complete patient information. They enhance the quality of patient care, contributing to safer and more reliable prescription practices. Further, we will discuss the pros and cons of electronic health records in greater detail.

History of Electronic Health Records

In the 1970s, the first EHRs came out as computers gained popularity. Early attempts focused on digitizing medical information. In the 1990s, EHRs aimed to streamline healthcare data management. However, the lack of balance between the pros and cons of EHR implementation made doctors less interested.

In the 2010s, the government in the US and other countries offered financial incentives to encourage the use of updated EHR systems. It kick-started a trend that’s been gaining momentum ever since.

Current trends in EHR development prioritize patient-centered care. Today, EHRs provide patients access to health information, stimulating active participation in healthcare decisions.

HIPAA Policies for EHR

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), established in 1996, safeguards patient health information and secures a patient’s privacy. In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) was adopted. Aligning technological requirements with HIPAA, it promotes electronic health records for enhanced patient data protection.

The HIPAA Security Rule, enforced in 2003, sets national standards for securing electronic personal health information (ePHI). Covered entities must ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of e-PHI. Also, they should identify and protect against threats, prevent unauthorized uses or disclosures, and guarantee workforce compliance.

Maintaining HIPAA compliance, especially with the Security Rule, is crucial amid rising digital threats to the healthcare industry. In 2023, 87 million patients in the United States experienced data breaches, more than doubling the previous year’s figure of 37 million.

Differences Between EHR and EMR

Although these two definitions are often used interchangeably, there is a narrow difference between them. Their comparison will also help you consider the benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems and medical platforms.

Scope

EHRs capture and store patients’ complete medical history, offering a holistic view of their health over time. It includes details from various healthcare encounters, treatments, and diagnostics, allowing for comprehensive and longitudinal insights.

On the other hand, EMRs typically have a more focused scope, concentrating on a specific episode of care or treatment within a single healthcare practice or by a particular specialist.

Ownership

Hospitals or larger healthcare institutions usually own and manage EHRs at the organizational level. These systems centralize and coordinate patient information across various departments and specialties. Conversely, individual providers, such as doctors or healthcare specialists, mostly own and manage EMRs.

Functionality

EHRs typically boast advanced functionalities. These include generating population health reports, support for clinical decision-making tools, and seamless integration with other healthcare systems.

At the same time, EMRs often have more basic functionality, primarily focusing on documentation and billing purposes. They efficiently handle the essential tasks of individual patient care within a specific episode.

Accessibility

EHRs are suitable for widespread access, ensuring availability to all authorized healthcare providers within a healthcare organization or system. It promotes seamless collaboration and continuity of care across various departments and specialties.

EMRs are usually more limited in accessibility. They are available solely to the healthcare provider or practice owning the system.

Types of EHR Systems

Before diving into electronic health records pros and cons, let’s explore the varied types of EHR systems, each designed to streamline processes, improve data accessibility, and ultimately contribute to the advancement of modern healthcare practices. There are two types of EHR systems present in the software development market:

Physician-hosted systems

This type of EHR belongs to an organization. Its data is stored on the servers belonging to the facility. So, the type requires a healthcare institution to buy both software and hardware. Especially, servers. Also, there should be one member of the staff, who will take over the responsibility of EHR maintenance and troubleshooting.

Who might need such an EHR type? Big organizations mostly. Why? Because only they will be able to invest large costs into the equipment. Besides, large healthcare institutions will be able to provide the best security possible, are performative, and can work without a stable internet connection. These are the most common type-driven benefits of EHR. 

Remotely-hosted systems

Such types of EHR systems belong to the ones, that storage of which is kept somewhere remotely. So, the information of the patients is on the servers of another entity. And, a third party is responsible for EHR maintenance, security, and ongoing support.

Small clinics and physician offices tend to have remotely hosted EHRs. Mainly, because they don’t have to buy the equipment and hold a server within its walls. So, doctors never worry about storage. They prefer to take care of their patients. But, these systems also have their subdivision. I.e.

• Subsidized. Adopted by small practices. But who owns the data? There’s an issue to figure out. The cost of the EHR for a physician is subsidized and he can’t control the server data.
• Dedicated. There is a specific location of a vendor, where the physician stores EHR data. So, the doctor knows where the data goes and where it is being held. But, he/she still has no control over its storage. Might be among the cons of EHR.
• Cloud. There’s a vendor, who has cloud storage, and healthcare providers store this data within the vendor’s cloud. For physicians, it is super convenient to access the necessary medical data via online storage. So, this option is widely and greatly popular these days. Some more advantages of implementing electronic medical records include its cheap development. And, who wouldn’t want to achieve such a benefit as a cheap and effective software?

Let’s now proceed to the EHR advantages and disadvantages. What might be the pros and cons of electronic medical records?

Find out why you need EMR integration for healthcare!

Electronic Health Records (EHR) Pros and Cons

EHRs offer diverse benefits for patients and providers, impacting clinical, organizational, and societal outcomes. However, weighing potential drawbacks when deciding on implementing an EHR system in your medical practice is crucial. Stay tuned to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of electronic health record systems.

Pros of EHR System

First, let’s overview the most significant advantages of EHR systems.

Pros of EHR System

Meaningful Use is a framework that guides healthcare providers toward effectively utilizing EHRs, encouraging their adoption. It outlines specific criteria and standards that medical organizations must meet to qualify for financial incentives.

Healthcare providers who demonstrate Meaningful Use of certified EHR technology can qualify for financial incentives through U.S. government programs like the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. These incentives offset the costs associated with implementing and maintaining EHR systems.

Improves Quality of Care

EHRs empower healthcare providers to deliver more effective care:

• EHRs track and display vital patient metrics, aiding informed decision-making for personalized care.
• Patients can schedule crucial procedures, ensuring timely preventive care like mammograms and colonoscopies.
• EHRs integrate innovative alert systems, minimizing oversight and enhancing the management of chronic conditions.
• Real-time reporting on quality metrics enables continuous monitoring and targeted improvements in care delivery.
• EHRs facilitate accurate electronic prescriptions. They reduce errors and ensure adherence to best practices in medication management.

Patient Portal

Patient portals promote transparency in care and treatment delivery. Patients can access their medical records, test results, and overview treatment plans. This way, they clearly understand their health status and make informed decisions. As a result, patients better adhere to treatment plans, increasing health literacy and improving overall wellness.

Also, patients can input information, ask questions, and provide feedback through patient portals. It fosters effective communication and collaboration between healthcare providers and patients. At the same time, EHRs streamline processes and save time for all parties.

Easy Data Collection and Reporting

EHRs’ user-friendly interfaces and customizable templates automate tedious and redundant tasks, enhancing efficiency.

Doctors benefit from the ability to tailor templates to their specific practice requirements. This customization streamlines the documentation process, enabling quick and accurate patient information input.

Moreover, seamless integration with health information exchanges (HIEs) facilitates secure access and sharing of medical information. Therefore, healthcare providers and patients can securely access and exchange electronic health data.

Medication Management

Cloud-based EHR systems revolutionize medication management. They provide healthcare providers with comprehensive details about a patient’s medications, drug allergies, and medical history. Instant access translates into accurate prescribing. It minimizes the risk of adverse reactions and enhances patient safety.

Certified EHR systems equipped with E-prescribing software capabilities enable the electronic submission of medication orders. That means healthcare providers can send prescriptions directly to any pharmacy in the country that supports E-prescribing. Also, they minimize the risk of errors associated with manual prescription handling..

Specific Functionality

The unique advantage of customized EHR solutions lies in their specialty-focused functionality. Tailored systems eliminate unnecessary tools, reduce clutter, and minimize errors. For example, an EHR designed for ophthalmology specialists facilitates comprehensive eye care by providing dedicated templates for various eye conditions. These templates cover a range of tests related to conditions like cataracts, diabetes, glaucoma, high blood pressure, macular degeneration, and more.

Cons of EHR Software

It would be unfair to talk about the benefits of EHRs while ignoring the potential pitfalls. So, let’s look at those challenges in more detail.

Privacy and Cybersecurity Issues

Patient healthcare information includes personal details, medical history, and other sensitive data, making it a prime target for cyber attacks.

To mitigate these risks, healthcare providers must implement advanced data security strategies for their EHR systems. Consider adherence to industry standards, including the following:

• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance
• CCHIT (Certification Commission for Health Information Technology) certification
• ONC-ACB (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology – Authorized Certification Body) accreditation
• HL-7 (Health Level Seven International) interfacing.

Inaccurate Data

Relying on outdated data, healthcare experts may make errors in diagnosis, treatment, and overall health management.

Here’s what you can do to address this challenge:

• Encourage healthcare providers to promptly input new information following patient visits, exams, or the receipt of test results.
• Implement automated reminders within the EHR system for updating patient records.
• Provide comprehensive training to healthcare staff and ensure all members are proficient in utilizing the EHR system.
• Establish protocols for monitoring and correcting data discrepancies within the EHR system.
• Let patients input changes to their medical history, medications, and other relevant details.

EHR-related clinician burnout

Clinicians, particularly doctors, spend significant time inputting patient information, medical histories, test results, and treatment plans into the electronic system. It may leave medicians with less time for direct patient care, exacerbating stress and burnout.

To overcome this challenge, healthcare organizations should optimize EHR usability, provide comprehensive training, and streamline documentation processes. Also, it’s important to involve clinicians in system improvement initiatives. These measures will reduce the data entry burden and enhance the overall EHR system experience.

How EHR Software Benefits Providers, Staff, and Patients

Now you know the basic advantages and disadvantages of electronic health records. But the best thing about EHR systems is that all parties win when using it, including providers, medical staff, and patients. Let’s discuss it in more detail.

Benefits to the Provider

• Providers get patient records at their fingertips in a virtual environment.
• With streamlined access to information, clinicians focus on meaningful interactions, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
• After the initial investment, EHRs reduce staff and material costs, enhancing operational efficiency.
• EHRs ensure precise billing and coding, minimizing errors and increasing practice revenue.
• Streamlined workflows, automated processes, and accurate documentation contribute to a more productive practice.
• Medical providers can use telemedicine, remote consultations, and virtual patient monitoring.

Benefits to the Staff

• EHRs replace the need to sift through paper charts. It reduces the stress associated with manual record retrieval.
• Eliminating paper charts promotes a cleaner work environment with reduced dust collection.
• The teamwork improves by storing all patient records in one secure place, fostering collaboration.
• Staff can leave on time without late stays to handle paper tasks, contributing to a healthier work-life balance.

Benefits to Patients

• Patients gain confidence in their healthcare providers as EHRs improve the accuracy of diagnoses and reduce the risk of medication interactions.
• EHRs send prescriptions directly to the chosen pharmacy, eliminating the need for paper scripts and enhancing convenience.
• Patients receive complete and coordinated care. Also, they can access all the crucial information hassle-free.

EMR and EHR Systems: Navigating Drawbacks and Risks

It’s time we delved into the complexities of EMR and EHR systems, unveiling challenges and mitigating strategies to ensure a seamless integration that prioritizes both efficiency and patient care.

Among the disadvantages of electronic health records one can find:

Scalability

EHR should necessarily handle an increasing number of requests. News says EHR systems that are also designed for testing for COVID-19 can break down because of a great number of people testing and because EHRs are location-based. Even when medical personnel know how an EHR responds when 100 patients are tested per day for COVID-19, no one is sure how it will respond when 1,000 or 2,000, or 10,000 are going to be tested.

Security

Protection of personal information and HIPAA compliance are milestones for the legality and security of EMR and EHR. Access permissions to data are thoroughly controlled and protected. Unfortunately, cybercrimes across industries are often and medical records can become a target for hackers to steal, alter data or expose information to the public. Adjusting EMR to HIPAA regulations goes without saying and guarantees:

• Use of authentication credentials to log in to the system
• Recording the history of changes in data
• Certification
• Data encryption

Interoperability

Connection with other systems to share data can be challenging in the case of EHR. To make the sent message universal and interpreted by other systems it has to contain standardized coded data. Cases of designing EHR systems that smoothly interconnect with other systems exist, but still, they are rare and time-consuming in terms of implementation. For instance, Estonia has centralized EMR systems for the whole country that allow connecting to Finland pharmacies and receiving prescriptions from Finland. The connection with other European countries is a matter of time, government negotiations, and a high-class development process.

EMR revolution: 100% population transition

Here we have a challenge of cultural interoperability. Trusting digital advances can become difficult for some people, especially for the aging population. The resistance of patients or doctors to digital tools can also happen because of problems with documentation, the Internet connection, motivation, etc. It’s a step-by-step process in which the whole country should be engaged: specialists taught in a new way and people informed through channels of communication and successful media campaigns.

Challenging software development

58% of the dissatisfaction of interviewed people lies in a lack of functionality and features. 30% goes to the “hard to use” factor. Besides, such systems need the integration of AI and NLP which are becoming critical in the accurate diagnosing of the mental and physical health of patients. In summary, EMR software should:

• Stand out with great functionality and include a variety of features to entirely meet the requirements of administration personnel and doctors of hospitals, private practices, as well as patients
• Be relevant to the size of an organization
• Ensure necessary customer support
• Be easy-to-use and responsive
• Ensure a long time of keeping e-records in the cloud
• Ensure security and privacy of personal information

Most used and most desired features in EMR – according to research

Existing software solutions for Healthcare also include such features as:

• E-prescribing
• Scheduling
• Drug management (procurement, storage, and use)
• Vaccination management

Advantages of Electronic Medical Records

Let’s unravel the diverse advantages embedded in EMR and EHR systems and understand how these electronic solutions elevate patient care, foster data accessibility, and redefine the landscape of modern healthcare practices.

Time and convenience

How was it many years ago when there were no EHR systems? There was a lot of paperwork and medical data was not easily accessible at the time. And we faced all the pros and cons of paper medical records. It had to be written, rewritten, and copied. Only door-to-door visits to hospitals are allowed to schedule an appointment to receive results, prescriptions, etc.

Nowadays people who are more aware of their health state due to the use of EMR systems pay much more attention to their well-being and get better support from the side of specialists. Doctors base their decisions on finely structured and preserved patient information in one place and access it whenever they need it. Time-consuming queues and delays in finding a necessary treatment have been reduced due to digital tools in the hands of people.

• The volume of paper records can be very large. Storing, preserving, filtering, and searching for information in EMR and EHR is easier.
• Doctors and patients can access data anytime from different places and automate processes of consultations

Legibility and transparency of online records

EMR and EHR systems eliminate misunderstandings in doctors’ prescriptions. E-documents on each patient are to be filled properly and once data is indicated, it can be easily generated for the number of related documents. Electronic health records can be edited and signed up with e-signatures which is a well-known practice, that ensures security and safety in prescribing medicines and compiling official documents.

Elevating surgeries with essential EHR and 3D printing

EHR can function as a part of complex software solutions that help doctors conduct different surgical operations, like in the case of a web application for printing customized 3D models for surgery supply for Israel. The web application allows the designing of 3D models and the sharing of data among specialists across the world. The Israel medical organization can now easily keep track of electronic medical records, structure documentation, and coordinate the work of surgeons quickly and effectively.

Personalized medicine

Invaluable personalization in diagnosing diseases and providing medical services — that’s what we all strive for. McKinsey’s research A Vision for Medical Affairs 2025, says that decisions on the treatment of patients will be based on cutting-edge data analytics that responsively will upgrade patients’ trust. Patient engagement will be enhanced by implementing EMR systems and AI. Digital tools will allow us to measure progress in patients’ health and efficient use of innovation in curing diseases. Regular collecting data and the application of big data analytics will drive useful insights to leverage medical solutions and personalized approaches to each patient and engage them in understanding their diagnoses as well.

Software tools will maximize the result of treatment, minimizing the patient-doctor interaction. A smart digital system will provide real-time data on when, and how to take the cure, learn patients’ behavior, their met and unmet needs, and feedback.

Opportunity to use and provide services remotely

Great practical use and advantages of using electronic health records and EHR systems lie in the remote connection. Telecommuting helps achieve clarity and empowers medicine with an online regime — objectives that are already being implemented step-by-step in many countries. The current situation with quarantine in Europe showcases how countries that managed to support and implement digital innovations in their Healthcare systems, benefit from remote consultancies. That’s a huge advantage to add to EMR systems. In emergencies and isolation providing necessary medical consultations and supporting people remotely is a prime necessity.

Promising future of EMR by 2030

Analyzing the pros and cons of EHR system and EMR solutions, it’s hard to deny their value for the healthcare industry.

What is there ahead for the EMR software development? The emergence of AI in EMR platforms will help understand clients better as a patient before they turn to specialized medical help. What is there ahead for the EMR software development? The emergence of AI in EMR platforms will help understand clients better as a patient before they turn to specialized medical help. Around half of patients who receive a prescription from their doctor don’t follow the medication instructions. In the US alone, it leads to 125,000 deaths due to cardiovascular disorders each year. The most common nonadherence reasons are concern about taking drugs (adverse effects, addiction, etc), forgetfulness, or misunderstanding of prescribing instructions. Luckily, it’s possible to avoid them within modern systems.

All in all, the benefits of EMR systems stimulate progress in monitoring patient information, diagnostics, and secure medical services. Together with EHR systems, they transform the Healthcare Industry and positively influence population health due to data-driven and personalized treatment. Their right implementation within successful medical reforms has all the chances to form a better vision of governments and companies on what medical software should be. 

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