HOSPITAL! What comes to your mind after hearing this word?
A place crowded with busy doctors, nurses rushing around, and tons of paperwork.
So, to make things run smoother, hospitals use special programs. But there’s one program that’s kind of like a magical wand for hospitals- it’s called electronic health record (EHR) software.
Yes! That’s right, hospitals are becoming techies too! So, what exactly is EHR software and why is it so important? Let’s find out!
Electronic Health Record ( EHR) Is The Most Used Software in Healthcare
Gone are the days when healthcare professionals had to maintain the patient’s records on old huge registers. No more…. Please give me a pen! Because the introduction of EHR software in healthcare has changed it all. Now, a single PC or laptop with EHR, and you are good to go. It is just like a secure digital box that contains all of the patient’s medical information. Allergies, medications, past visits, and even X-rays are all in one place securely.
Now you don’t have to worry if you lose any of your medical records or if your healthcare provider has to.
Insights of EHR Implementation on Patient Outcomes
According to the HealthIT.gov report: As of 2021, nearly 4 in 5 office-based physicians (78%) and nearly all non-federal acute care hospitals (96%) adopted a certified EHR. This marks substantial 10-year progress since 2011 when 28% of hospitals and 34% of physicians had adopted an EHR.
A study conducted in 2022 in the Journal of Healthcare Quality found that hospitals that have fully implemented EHR systems had 18% lower mortality rates than those that had not.
A national survey of doctors who are ready for meaningful use offers important evidence:
- 94% of providers report that their EHR makes records readily available at the point of care.
- 88% report that their EHR produces clinical benefits for the practice.
- 75% of providers report that their EHR allows them to deliver better patient care.
Successful Implementation of EHR In Healthcare
Thinking about implementing an EHR system but not certain about the results? No worries! Let me tell you the success story of someone who has already implemented an EHR system. Because, satisfied users are the most effective proof of any product, brand, or service, and EHR technology is no exception.
These successful stories may be just what you need to push you ahead.
The Boston Healthcare for Homeless program used EHR technology and a team of mobile clinicians. According to the Massachusetts eHealth Institute, every year BHCHP treats around 12000 people. The mobile clinicians of this program were just provided with laptops so that they could remotely access the EHR database hosted through Boston Medical Center.
HealthIT.gov also reported that Bonner and his team at Washington, Delaware-based medical practice have adopted EHRs to manage record-keeping as well as patient engagement and communication. Bonner works at the St. Francis Medical Center in Delaware, which very often serves underprivileged populations. His team turned to EHRs in 2010, and since then have discovered a lot of ways to use services to improve care quality.
Bonner and his team also found that they can integrate professional guidelines in EHR and patient portal software, which can be used later when discussing individually with patients.
For example, Bonner’s team integrated the points of Million Hearts guidelines laid out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services directly into patients’s portal so it became much easier for Bonner and his team to show representation and side-by-side comparison of patients’s data matches up with national standards. This easily emphasizes the importance of preventive measures, which is very important for overall health.
“This process engages patients as active participants so they learn and understand more about their health and healthcare,” Bonner told HealthIT.gov. “This is something we could not do in the paper world.”
How Do EHR Systems Improve the Quality of Medical Care For Patients?
1. Improve Medical Decisions
Remember when you used to take your grandfather to the hospital for a checkup? Long queues! Healthcare workers take a lot of time checking your medical history, details of your last visit with the doctor, lab report results, etc.
But not anymore! EHRs will save your time and make the decision-making process efficient and quick. Because EHRs contain all the detailed information of patients that helps them make improved medical decisions.
EHR has made the decision-making process much simpler and quicker. All the details of a patient’s information are available in a more accessible way. No more confusion! Your care provider can now accurately monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and other factors as they change with time. This information makes it super easy for providers to develop a more informed treatment plan for the screening, prevention, and management of chronic care conditions.
2. Increased Accessibility
Modern EHRs are compatible with all types of devices, from desktop and laptop computers to smartphones and tablets. The provider can access results, charts, and patient questions from a variety of devices and respond on time.
You do not own a desktop? No worries! Use your laptop. Laptop needs to be in order? No worries you must own a smartphone or tablet, and access EHR from there. It helps providers to access results, charts, and patient questions from a variety of devices and respond promptly.
3. Preventive Care
OKAY! So, EHRs are like digital helpers for doctors, helping them fight preventable diseases. They can check in on patients remotely, like having a companion! One more surprise! It can send reminders for checkups and screenings as well, so you will get everything. It can catch problems before they become serious, and allow patients to take charge of their health. It’s a winning situation for everyone.
4. Virtual Care Support
Remember the days of a pandemic? How difficult it became for patients to get care and support. In that situation, EHR behave like a superhero, helping doctors efficiently support their patients remotely. However, it proved to be a blessing for patients having mobility or transportation issues. It has also become a benefit for those living in remote locations.
5. Better Patient Outcomes
With EHRs, doctors know all about their patients which makes it easier for healthcare providers to improve care coordination resulting in better patient care and treatment.
What Are The Best EHR Systems?
EPIC System Corporation
One of the largest EHR vendors- EPIC System Corporation!
About 38% of hospital installations, Also they have been around for over 40 years, building a solid reputation and their platforms are super easy to integrate. It’s no wonder that they are still leading in the EHR industry.
EHRs are currently installed in 2814 hospitals out of 9300 tracked in the HospitalView product accounting for nearly 40% of the overall inpatient EHR market share.
The top 10 hospitals using the Epic EHR system are Advent Health Orlando, Baptist Medical Center, Montefiore Hospital- Moses Campus, and more.
Oracle Cerner
Oracle Cerner stands in the second position, holding about 28.9% market share in the U.S. It reduces the burden of time-consuming administrative tasks so that healthcare professionals can pay attention solely to patient care.
The top 10 hospitals using Oracle Cerner’s EHR include University Hospital, IU Health Methodist Hospital, Northside Hospital Atlanta, and more.
MEDITECH
Here comes the third one on our list named MEDITECH holding a 13% market share. It is slowly growing its existence internationally with applications across 23 countries.
The top 10 hospitals using MEDITECH EHR include Methodist Hospital, Medical City Dallas, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, and more.
Conclusion!
In conclusion, it is evident from the research and successful examples of EHR implementation that EHR is the software that most hospitals use. It has proven to be a successful step towards better patient outcomes and reduces the workload of healthcare professionals by automating multiple administrative tasks.
How Quanrio Can Help You?
Looking forward to creating EHR software? Look nowhere as Quanrio is the leading custom software development company. We have a team of experienced developers who can develop a custom EHR software development solution for you according to your needs and preferences.
