Electronic health records: A revolution in health industry
Electronic health records have revolutionized the entire health care industry. It has made easy access to storing of information and retrieving and sharing of medical records. It has also helped improve care for patients, while avoiding unnecessary error. Things which were unthinkable are now possible. A patient’s record can be retrieved in seconds, transmitted and faxed by computer anywhere in the country. Now all prescriptions are done electronically.
EHR has been around for long time but most of mandatory implementation happened after Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) went into effect. It was initially adopted for simplicity, consistency and avoiding handwriting mistakes. Many tasks can be done by doctors while seeing patients, including reviewing their old and new records, scheduling the date of the next appointment, ordering labs for the next visit and transmission of a new prescription to the pharmacy. A prescription can be sent to the pharmacy and available for filling by the pharmacist even before the patient gets out of the examination room.
The hospitalist keeps doctors well-informed by sending the admission note and discharge summary at the end of treatment in the hospital. Patients usually follow up with their PCP within seven days of discharge.Many of our complicated patients needing a higher level of care are seen at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. Their notes are sent to us by fax automatically by computer as soon as they are dictated. Faxed material is obtained in our office in printed form on the same day for our review.
With new technology, doctors can communicate with their patients by video chat, called telemedicine. Doctors at faraway places like Arizona or Texas can talk to patients, and review and analyze their records while being interviewed. It can also be done for those patients who are in a long-term care facility. This method is utilized for a specialty that is not available locally, such as psychiatric care at a nursing home or hospital.
EHR has revolutionized the whole health industry. It has modernized the ways that humans and technology connect. In many ways it has improved quality and efficiency of patient care. This is the trend of the future, which will continue to evolve and improve over time.
Dr. Anis Ansari, President, Mercy One Clinton Medical Staff