Have you ever come across the term “EHR” in hospitals and clinics and how does that affect you?
EHR (Electronic health record) is an electronic version of patient’s medical history. They are real-time, patient-centered medical records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users. Our world has been radically transformed by digital technology – smart phones, tablets, and web-enabled devices have transformed our daily lives and the way we communicate.
As the medical industry is an information-rich enterprise, the seamless flow of information within a digital health care infrastructure via electronic health records (EHRs) can transform the way medical care is delivered. With EHRs, information is available whenever and wherever it is needed.
The annual Quality and Disparities Report (QDR) recently released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides an overview of the quality of care received by the US population. Moreover, AHRQ’s data demonstrated progress in the adoption with the use of EHRs as the electronic exchange of medication and patient information. This can be seen as key to the decreasing medical errors compared to paper record, patient safety, helping doctors track treatment protocols, and providing patient with information to assist in adherence to regimens and appointments. These are some of the latest findings:
– In 2013, 54.9% of patients reported that it was very important to have electronic access to their medical information, an increase from 44.3% in 2008
– In 2013, 53.1% of patients reported the high importance of their provider’s ability to electronically share their records with other providers, up from 41.5% in 2008.
There is definitely a clear progress in improving the health care delivery system with the goal of achieving better care, smarter people, patient engagement and experience.
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