Advantages of Electronic Medical Records

Most hospitals now have or are shifting towards electronic medical records systems (EMR). The number of medical practices adopting the maintenance of electronic medical records has been doubling since 2008, according to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The remaining physicians and smaller practices who may be reluctant to make the switch are now seeing the benefits of adopting the system.

So what are the advantages of having an electronic health record system? The EMR system involves moving from paper charts to electronic medical records software, which can be accessed on-demand and results in saving lots of time, money, and lives. It benefits both the patient and the healthcare provider and is undeniably the future of the healthcare system and the healthcare organization.

What is an Electronic Medical Record System?

It’s a system that utilizes electronic medical health records in place of the traditional paper chart that doctors use to store patient information. Since the records are in the digital version, the EMR provides real-time access to information that is fast and secure. Access to the medical record can be set so that only authorized people at a medical practice can take a look. 

The electronic medical record contains essential patient information, such as medical history, diagnoses, medications, lab results, test results, allergies, immunization dates, and treatment plans. This gives the physicians a broad view of the primary care that each patient has received.

EMR Benefits for the Patient

Compared to paper records, electronic health records contain significantly fewer errors. With the use of EMR, communication between healthcare professionals can be improved dramatically, as the records allow each party full access to a patient’s complete medical history. Normally, doctors only rely on a general overview for the patient’s latest medical visit. This comprehensive access allows doctors to give a more in-depth evaluation, which doctors use to make a more accurate diagnosis quicker than usual.

Also, having an electronic record makes it easier for physicians to follow up with patients and monitor continuing care, whether it’s under their supervision or the other doctors. At the very least, the system saves a lot of time during a visit to the doctor. More importantly, these records can provide critical information during emergency care which can prove life-saving.

The benefit can be immensely useful during mass casualty or catastrophic events as well. Doctors, especially those in the emergency rooms, can rely on the EMR to get a more accurate patient history more quickly. When patients get confused and frightened in situations such as this, they can easily forget even their personal medical details. This makes the EMR invaluable in patient outcomes, especially when the patient is unable to communicate, which can become the difference between life and death.

Experts agree that the advantages of emergency health records result in a marked increase in the health-related safety of patients.

Benefits for the Healthcare Provider

Relying on paper charts can be problematic when it comes to tracking patient history, especially when he is under the care of multiple doctors. With an EMR system, multiple health providers regardless of location can access patient information simultaneously from any computer. A health care provider can see the updated information, including test results and the recommendations of other doctors. This allows them to collaborate more efficiently on the patient’s health care.

Results management is also improved since doctors can quickly transfer patient data to other doctors and departments while reducing errors at the same time. Reducing medical errors obviously benefits both doctor and patient. With EMR adoption, doctors don’t have to deal with lost or misplaced patient files and they can quickly eliminate data errors that can happen from transcription.

A medical practice will benefit greatly when the EMR system is used by well-trained staff and if the system is optimized for a specific office’s use. 

Learn more: Top EMR Benefits for Your Practice

More Specific Benefits

• Less paperwork, fewer storage problems - administrative tasks eat up a lot of time and costs in the healthcare industry, especially since a clinician and the staff spend a significant part of their workdays filling out and processing forms such as medical billing. Going paperless means streamlining a lot of their tasks. When the amount of paperwork lessens, the storage requirement also dwindles down. This results in less cluttered offices for the medical provider as well, since there’s going to be less need for physical copies. 
• Reduces unnecessary testing - when doctors do not have access to previous medical data, they make the patient repeat the tests, which is a waste of time and money. If the test is invasive in nature, it adds unnecessary comfort for the patient too. Having a patient record online will eliminate repeating procedures and ensure patient safety as well.
• Better quality of patient care - having electronic medical records allows doctors to exchange complete patient information in real-time.  When records are accessible and up-to-date, it helps doctors make better diagnoses and less medical error, which are essential to patient satisfaction. The system also helps patients manage their conditions better because they can get automatic reminders for visits and screenings. Electronic medical prescribing allows doctors to communicate directly with the pharmacy which leads to fewer errors in buying medicines and comes in handy when patients lose their paper prescriptions. 
• Faster prescribing - speaking of which, the system can streamline communication between physicians and pharmacies, which comes in handy in situations when the physician’s handwriting is difficult to understand, thus can lead to errors in dispensing prescriptions. Having electronic prescribing eliminates this potential risk and makes buying medicines safer and more convenient.
• More efficiency and productivity - EMR allows centralized chart management and gives doctors quicker access to updated patient information. Doctors can communicate faster with each other, as well as with pharmacies, diagnostic centers, and insurance providers. This means fewer follow-up calls and lost messages. The integrated scheduling streamlines office management and the staff gets easier access to automatic coding, progress notes, and insurance claims. This leads to greater productivity, which in turn results in significant time and money savings.

What the Future of EMR Looks Like

As companies have invested heavily in computer hardware and software and have made information technology the major force in people’s daily interactions and all the tools needed to complete work, the healthcare field has been obligated to keep up and evolve, thus the rise of EMR. 

Eventually, all medical facilities, practitioners, and care providers will have to adapt to the system, since EHR implementation yields immense benefits to both patients and healthcare providers. The fact that patients today prefer to transact digitally via patient portal and doctors are replacing the older ones only means that EHR software and EHR system will eventually become a standard. 

It’s Time to Reap the Benefits of Having Electronic Medical Records

If you're a medical professional running an aesthetic healthcare facility and you’re still relying on traditional paper medical records, it’s high time that you elevate your records system and sign up with Calysta. Calysta is a complete aesthetic EHR solution developed by a respected software development team for HIPAA compliance. The cloud based EHR software is designed to provide a premium experience of EHR benefits at an affordable cost. Reach out to Calysta now for EHR adoption and let your aesthetic practice evolve with the times.