One of the main benefits of having an electronic medical record is that it can reduce the number of medical errors. According to a study conducted for adverse events occurring in hospitals, at least 44,000 and as many as 98,000 deaths have occurred annually because of medical errors (Sultz & Young, p 89). The implementation of EMR can reduce significant mistakes, by utilizing computerized prescription entry, predicting drug interactions and displaying a warning for the health-care provider, assisting clinicians in reconciling patient medications, and most important, maintaining a detailed and legible medical record. The electronic medical record (EMR) facilitates information accessibility and communication among many specialty facilities (Advancing Practice, 2009, pg 947). This benefit is refreshing in reference that the computer does not get tired and would ideally complement the healthcare workers long shifts and hours. “This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:8). EMR can help avoid medical errors that are significant problems that even lead to the death rate in the United States. Maintaining privacy and confidentiality through appropriate security is one of the vital underlying concerns of EHRs. The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in the United States in 1996 under the Clinton Administration (Sultz & Young, p 33). Financial concerns are an underlying focus of the EMR.
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The adoption, implementation and ongoing maintenance of EMR are very costly. The replacement and upgrade of the software in addition to the continuing training and support for the providers who are the end-users of EMR are some of the financial issues that EMR system currently face. Depending on where the facility or institution is there will be the difference in revenue collection. The implementation of EMR involves the conversion from paper chart to electronic, purchasing and installation of the hardware-software systems and to provide training for the end-users is highly expensive. Centralized record keeping would enable healthcare workers and patients to access medical records where and when needed (Rao, 2011). Affluent institutions (larger hospitals) or facilities may recover some of its revenue through the ease of the faster service and multiple uses of EMR throughout their facility, but smaller practices will have financial difficulties in adopting or implementing an EMR due to fewer funds (Rao, 2011). There are potential barriers to this application such as patient’s inability to access the computer and the knowledge of understanding healthcare terminology. …show more content…
Older physicians who are not computer savvy, struggle with the loss of time and money to go to training along with ONC’s push towards the collection of data outside the healthcare system like nursing homes and assisted-living facilities (Rao, 2011). Federally mandated programs of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, required all public and private healthcare providers to "adopt and demonstrate meaningful use of EMR" (Sultz & Young, p 33). The EMR is almost “universally used in health-care systems throughout the United States” (Sultz & Young, p 33). As a result of this decision, those who used EMR received financial rewards or received a penalty not using an EMR (Sultz & Young, p 33). Cerna Corporation created a new electronic medical record, PowerChart, which has passed a criteria with 100 percent results for interoperability, security and functionality (Cerna, 2006). This product has been placed through a battery of criteria checks and provides assurance to physicians that it is a trustworthy and recommended product. Cerna is a leading healthcare
The adoption, implementation and ongoing maintenance of EMR are very costly. The replacement and upgrade of the software in addition to the continuing training and support for the providers who are the end-users of EMR are some of the financial issues that EMR system currently face. Depending on where the facility or institution is there will be the difference in revenue collection. The implementation of EMR involves the conversion from paper chart to electronic, purchasing and installation of the hardware-software systems and to provide training for the end-users is highly expensive. Centralized record keeping would enable healthcare workers and patients to access medical records where and when needed (Rao, 2011). Affluent institutions (larger hospitals) or facilities may recover some of its revenue through the ease of the faster service and multiple uses of EMR throughout their facility, but smaller practices will have financial difficulties in adopting or implementing an EMR due to fewer funds (Rao, 2011). There are potential barriers to this application such as patient’s inability to access the computer and the knowledge of understanding healthcare terminology. …show more content…
Older physicians who are not computer savvy, struggle with the loss of time and money to go to training along with ONC’s push towards the collection of data outside the healthcare system like nursing homes and assisted-living facilities (Rao, 2011). Federally mandated programs of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, required all public and private healthcare providers to "adopt and demonstrate meaningful use of EMR" (Sultz & Young, p 33). The EMR is almost “universally used in health-care systems throughout the United States” (Sultz & Young, p 33). As a result of this decision, those who used EMR received financial rewards or received a penalty not using an EMR (Sultz & Young, p 33). Cerna Corporation created a new electronic medical record, PowerChart, which has passed a criteria with 100 percent results for interoperability, security and functionality (Cerna, 2006). This product has been placed through a battery of criteria checks and provides assurance to physicians that it is a trustworthy and recommended product. Cerna is a leading healthcare