History …show more content…
The ability of retain patient records digitally reshaped the health sector giving providers a chance to store patient information in a central location, along with the ability to effortlessly share archives among medical staff. Electronic health record programs are a novel product and organizations are constantly working to apply and improve the software, EMR are evolving daily and allows more options to physicians. The original data handling software were invented around the 1960’s to focus explicitly on medical records administration. These programs were known as hospital data systems and attracted the consideration of medical professional throughout the health care sector, the sector began seeing the progression of EHR programs and pushed for further research and development. The earliest form of electronic medical record system was created by the Regenstrief Institute but high costs, means the program initially appealed to physicians but government medical facilities used the program. As the prices of personal PCs became more reasonable, the rise of the World Wide Web paved the way for EMR’s to take over from the traditional forms to record patient information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was introduced in 1996 (Healthit.gov) as a reaction to mounting …show more content…
Disadvantages of EHR deal more with the financial issues associated with adoption and implementation of the system. Purchase cost of hardware and software and end-user training comprise some of the initial cost of EHR. Ongoing cost would include conversion cost and maintenance. Loss of productivity may occur during the implementation and training because of interrupted workflow. Disadvantages of EHR do not outweigh the benefits, though and electronic health records benefit, organizations and patients by enhancing privacy and security, as well as quality and continuity of care. Authors Nir Menachemi and Taleah H. Collum point out in their article Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems (2011) that “three particular functionalities hold great promise in improving the quality of care and reducing costs at the health care system level: clinical decision support (CDS) tools, computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems, and health information exchange (HIE).” (Menachemi, 2011) Point of care documentation provides accurate, up to date, and complete health care information improving clinical decision making. Secure sharing and quick access enables continuity of care and improves provider communication. Sharing of PHI among providers means that patients fill out forms once. Physicians using EHR have the capabilities of