Medical records are the main asset of healthcare organizations. The records contain medical history, treatments, and diagnosis. Traditionally, these records were maintained in the form of papers. Cabinets were filled through these papers that no one could truly read—not even the doctor who wrote them. These papers were more prone to errors and there’s a constant risk of losing important information. All of these issues were resolved after the introduction of electronic health records. As technology transforms other fields, EHR also changes the way of managing patient records. Now all the medical data can be stored, accessed, and shared with just a single click.
Let’s see how this transformation occurs and what other benefits we get from electronic health records.
The Evolution Begins: Paper Records
Medical records are captured for doctors’ use. They contain basic information about observations and symptoms. Patient records are not shared but they help healthcare providers check patients’ progress. Traditionally, medical records containing medication, lab results, and other important medical information were handwritten. These records were useful but had different accessibility, storage, and security issues.
A Step Forward to Digital Health Records
- The idea of electronic records was introduced around the 1960s. But the system was not implemented and most of the doctors don’t actually want to give up their trusty paper charts.
- In 1972, the Regenstrief Institute developed one of the first actual EHR systems and it was very useful. Their tech could store patient data electronically, track visits, and even manage billing information. It wasn’t perfect but it opened the door to the possibility of a fully digital healthcare system.
- Time came forward and medical records started getting a little more official. Charts included everything from admission forms to x-ray reports to physician notes. This was a big step forward for healthcare organizations but it had a ton of drawbacks also.
- Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, more hospitals started investing in basic computer systems to manage lab results, prescriptions, and billing but still, some hospitals were confused and were restricted to shift their data electronically.
- In the 20th century, EHR got more attention and medical records became more standardized. It was difficult to manage the huge number of patients’ complex records which led to the creation of specialized departments for medical records.
- Between 2008 and 2015, the adoption of EHR among office-based physicians suddenly increased from 17% to over 85%.
Introduction of Electronic Health Records
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are digital versions of patient health records that can create, store, and access data electronically. As compared to traditional paper-based records, EHRs are not limited to a single healthcare facility. Different authorized organizations can access them. EHR includes detailed patient information, including medical history, diagnoses, medications, allergies, lab results, and imaging reports.
EHRs vs. EMRs: What’s the Difference?
Most of the people get confused and use the terms EMR and EHR interchangeably. These terms are relevant but are totally different.
- EMR (Electronic Medical Record): It is like a digital version of the old paper chart. It’s mostly used by one provider or practice. It keeps track of patient history, diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans but it doesn’t necessarily keep with the patient if they go somewhere else.
- EHR (Electronic Health Record): This is bigger. EHRs are designed to be shared across different healthcare settings. They follow the patient from your family doctor to the hospital to the specialist and back again. EHRs are all about collaboration and continuity of care.
This change from EMRs to EHRs was a major milestone in the evolution of digital health records.
Benefits of Electronic Health Records
EHR facilitates most of the organizations and provides a multitude of benefits for patients, healthcare providers, and the overall healthcare system.
Improved Accessibility:
With the help of electronic records, healthcare providers are not restricted to locations instead they can access the patient information virtually from anywhere. This accessibility helps to provide care to patients on time, especially during the pandemic. It is also helpful in emergency cases where doctors have a very short time to check the history of patients. EHR leads to a life-saving feature for patients and healthcare providers.
Enhanced Efficiency:
EHR makes the process more efficient and accurate. When records get automated, it ultimately reduces the risks of human errors that are most likely in handwritten notes. Now healthcare providers can document patient information more efficiently, automate prescriptions, and generate billing information more quickly which also saves their valuable time and resources.
Interoperability and Care Coordination:
Sometimes healthcare providers work in coordination so EHR systems make communication more easy between healthcare providers so they can provide better care coordination. This interoperability makes vital patient data available to authorized professionals, promotes collaboration, and reduces redundant tests or processes.
Data Security and Privacy:
Most of the organizations were restricted to shift on EHR due to security issues as they were not confident about the privacy of EHR. But electronic health records provide robust security measures to protect patient information from unauthorized access. It provides different features like role-based access control, encryption, and audit trails to enhance data security and maintain patient privacy. Now healthcare providers are more confident in compliance with healthcare regulations.
Analytics and Research:
With the help of digital health records, extensive data analysis and research can be done. From this EHR aggregated data can be used to find new trends, patterns, and information that can improve population health, track disease outbreaks, and support evidence-based medicine.
The Enhancing Features of the EHR Experience
EHR provides enhanced features that are not only helpful for healthcare providers but also facilitate patients as well. Many platforms now include:
- Patient Portals: You can book appointments, message your doctor, view lab results, and even pay bills online.
- Clinical Decision Support: Provide alerts and reminders to help doctors catch potential problems like dangerous drug interaction.
- Telehealth Integration: Especially since COVID-19, a lot of EHRs now work hand-in-hand with virtual care platforms.
- Mobile Access: Doctors and patients alike can pull up health records from their smartphones or tablets.
EHRs aren’t just filing cabinets anymore. They’re becoming central hubs for managing your entire healthcare journey.
Final Thoughts:
The journey from paper charts to fully digital health records hasn’t been easy and it’s definitely not over yet. But there’s no question that EHRs have transformed healthcare for the better. Now your medical history is in a safe place. You can easily access it anytime and make the best decisions for your health.
To keep up with this digital evolution, medical practices also need efficient billing support. That’s why you need M&M Claims Care medical billing services. As a trusted medical billing company, M&M Claims Care provides a complete medical billing solution so you get higher accuracy and receive reimbursement on time.
