Because this legislation anticipates a massive expansion In the exchange of electronic protected health Information, the HI TECH Act also widens the scope of privacy and security protections available under . It increases the potential legal liability for non- compliance and it provides for more enforcement. Provide a variety number of advantages to the health care system today. One of them being the improvement of the delivery of health care is improvement in your health across health care settings by having access to all of our health information.
Having a comprehensive record that Includes all of a patient's medical Information that Is up- to-date, complete, accurate and in the hands of your doctor or your family when it's needed will reduce unnecessary test ordering, reduce costs, improve safety and will improve the flow of information from one doctor to another. Another is if all of your providers are more knowledgeable about you and the changes to your care plan in various doctors' office and hospitals, those providers will be better able to work with you to make more informed decisions about your health.You are at the center of the health care team. Having your medical records computerized and stored electronically rather than in paper files, promises to reduce medical errors including describing the wrong medications. For example, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine estimates between 44,000 and 98,000 people in the united States die each year because of errors such as being prescribed medicine to which they are allergic.
In addition, a physician making a referral could, depending on the system's Interactivity with other health-care providers, forward a patient's complete medical records with a single keystroke which could reduce the Walt time for an appointment. And if done with care, electronic records could eliminate duplication of services and ultimately save money. An electronic system can also provide easier access for patients to see their own records.Last but not least with electronic health records, you can now have better access to your health information and better control over managing your health outcomes.
There are many advantages to electronic health records but there are as many disadvantages to implementation of this technology. What are they you may ask? For one, the present electronic record system is time consuming and costly. For example, a few years ago, after spending $34 million on a computerized system, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center In California, stopped using it after only three months.The problem? It proved to be slow, unwieldy, and too complicated. Technicians spent minutes scribbling notes.
Then there's the privacy issue. In order for the records to be readily available and accessible they would have to be linkable and searchable. If medical records fell into the wrong hands at worst they could be used for devious purposes; minimally advertisers might flood our email in boxes with even more spam. Plus, patients may not feel so comfortable having an honest conversation with heir doctor if it could end up for all to see.Adopting an electronic health record (HER) will change the flow of patients in an office/hospital.
Because of this, it is important establishments to conduct workflow analysis to find the most efficient method for moving patients through the office. Workflow redesign is the process each practice adopting an EAR must complete before implementation. Hers may affect how your practice/hospital/health center manages patient messages, schedules patient visits, checks patients in, rooms patients, conducts exams, renews medication, and/or checks patients out.While this process isn't easy and takes time, efficiently managed workflow redesign can be the key to maximize office efficiencies, enhance practice quality and safety, remove chaos from your current workflow, and improve care coordination using Hers.
