Tuesday 28 August 2012

The Benefits Of Using Electronic Health Record Programs For Managing Patient Files

By Jennifer P. Myeers


Most health care agencies and offices have shifted to an electronic health record system because of its many benefits over the traditional filing system. This kind of filing system is much easier to use by health care professionals once the transition from the old system to the new one has occurred. This electronic format allows health care professionals to easily access files quickly, store them in a more secure place, and quickly find any errors within the records.

Since health care workers no longer have to search through many different files to find the ones that they need, the electronic health record system allows them to get the files that they need in much less time. Using a secure terminal or computer anywhere in the office or the network, doctors and other health care professionals can easily access the files that they need. This means that they can browse the files for what they need and make changes without having to spend time looking for the file to begin with. This frees up the doctor to spend more time with the patient or to see additional patients.

If files exist as hard copies then it is possible for people to access them even when they don't have the proper authorization to do so. Since all of the files are kept together in one place, people who do have the authorization can view all of the files rather than just the ones that pertain to them. Different health care professionals have different levels of security, and don't always have access to all pieces of a patient's file. With software managing the security, people will need to have a security passcode to access the files, and they will only have access to the records that they are cleared to view. Because the files are saved on computers, they can't be filed in the wrong place or misplaced altogether.

With the electronic health record process, mistakes can be located and fixed almost immediately which is another advantage of this type of system over the traditional filing system. Although rare, it is not unheard of that doctors have prescribed a medication to a patient that they should not take because they have mistakenly overlooked something in the file. With the electronic prescribing system, the software will automatically notify the doctor if they attempt to prescribe a medication that will interact with a drug that the patient is already taking. In case something is overlooked, this software serves as a back-up to double check any medications.

Doctors and health care professionals are given easier and more secure access to patient records as some of the main benefits of an electronic health record filing system. Errors with medical and prescription information are also reduced with this type of system. This type of software has turned out to be increasingly popular among many medical practices because of its ease of use.




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