Importance and Challenges of Digital Health Record in Hospitals

This essay critically evaluates the importance of digital health record technique (DHR) in the hospitals and discusses challenges that may be confronted by hospitals or doctors at the time of using the digital health record. It also highlights the benefits and barriers of digital health record.

Running Head: DHR
DHR

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Introduction
In the existing period, hospitals use a digital health record technique and record the
confidential information of patients as it would be effective making the easier whole process
of Hospitals. Further, this essay critically evaluates the importance of digital health record
technique (DHR) in the hospitals. As well as, it discusses challenges that may be confronted
by hospitals or doctors at the time of using the digital health record. In my opinion,
sometimes, the digital health record could negatively impact on the performance of the
hospitals by observing incorrect data. I observed that incorrect data recording could make a
negative image of the healthcare organization among consumer’s mind.
Overview of Digital health record be implemented for all patients
In the current era, a large number of doctor and hospitals use digital health records for
removing their paperwork from the operation. It could support to make a reliable decision
with respect to the digital health record technique implementation. It is stated that some
hospitals unable to use digital health record technique for all patients due to the higher cost
and time as would negatively impact on their financial performance (Wachter, 2015). Hence,
it is mandatory for the health care organization to improve their knowledge with respect to
the application of the digital health records technique for all patients’ records as it would be
imperative for sustaining their position in the market.
But at the same time, it is also addressed that sometimes organization is failed to secure the
confidential information of their patient as it would lead to making negative image among the
patient’s mind (Li, Yu, Zheng, Ren, and Lou, 2013). Moreover, it is addressed that the digital
health records could lead to less manual work in their hospitals. At the same time, it is also
evaluated that some hospitals use both online as well as the manual process to record the data
of their patients.

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Benefits and barriers of digital health record
According to Fernández-Alemán, Señor, Lozoya, and Toval (2013), digital health record
could lead hospitals to record all the confidential information in softcopy rather than
hardcopy. Further, a healthcare organization could obtain many benefits from the application
of digital health records. Further, these advantages could be effective for many individuals
like healthcare managers, patients, and clinicians. It is also stated that each medical worker
may be liable for maintaining a record of patients. From the application of digital health
record, hospitals would be able to obtain higher benefits in the least time and cost.
Kellermann and Jones, (2013) argued that digital health record aid health organization to
collect the reliable information with respect to patient data like allergies found, drugs
administered, certain drugs, and efficiency of initial treatments. Consequently, healthcare
organization would be capable to make a reliable decision in the context of DHR.
Further, if an organization delivers the same services to their patients from long time and the
patient is unable to get quality services then they may complaints to supervisor towards the
services. Herein, the organization could imply the DHR for simply locating health record of
patients as compared to the physical data like files and enhance their satisfaction level. In
addition, it enables the organization to save a huge amount of data at the same place.
In support of this, DesRoches, et al. (2013) examined that digital health record enables to
collect technical information with respect to the health issues. Further, it is stated that the
digital health record facilitates health organization to understand the current health issues and
other development as it would be easily accessed by considering this technique. A specialist
and clinician would be capable to search documents of those consumers who are admitted in
the hospitals, without leaving their place and addressed the file cabinets, statistical manuals,
and journals by considering DHR.

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In the favored of Moller et al. (2017) addressed that digital healthcare record system could
assist the healthcare organization to manage the information of patients and use in the
upcoming period. From the application of the digital health record, clinicians could address
and follow up on the issues of patients like progressive lab reports, medical history, and
bookings. In addition, it permits clinicians to share their accessible data to their patients about
the facilities as it could be effective for obtaining a reliable outcome.
In opposition to this, Coorevits, et al. (2013) explained that healthcare executives are
professionals that are accountable for the leadership, manage a team of hospitals, and
healthcare networks. Further, it is found that healthcare executives supervise each department
of hospitals like laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy amid others. Hence, a healthcare
organization should imply the DHR technique for managing their each department work and
get positive responses.
In support to this, Rodrigues, De La Torre, Fernández, and López-Coronado, (2013)
examined that digital health record could support the organization to make the easy process
of the workflow and obtain a reliable outcome. It could lead the employees to record the
different experience of the patient such as bookings, laboratory reports, referrals records, and
billing report.
Levy, Janke, and Langa, (2015), argued that digital health record facilitates the organization
to simply secure the information of patients in the hospitals. The healthcare organization may
face a problem at the time of differentiating the information of the patients and pooled it to
offers appropriate facility to their patients. But at the same time, it is also evaluated that
digital health record could enable the organization to secure the confidential data of patients
along with differentiating the gathered information in the least time as per the requirement.
The digital health record also facilitates the organization to delivers many services to their
patients as it would be associated with updates patient records, referrals information, and

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pharmacy transcriptions. Consequently, patients will be capable to have the health facility in
another hospital on the bias of their connivance.
In support of this, Labrique, Vasudevan, Kochi, Fabricant, and Mehl, (2013) examined that
digital health record is beneficial for reducing costs of hospitals by completing their data
record activity in the least time. Although, the initial cost of equipment installment can be
higher but, day to day expenses of health care unit could be reduced by applying the feasible
DHR system. Digital health record may eliminate the other activities cost such as files,
cabinet and free up space that could be utilized for other purposes. It also declines the number
of human resources and saves time due to an automated process that could enhance the
productivity of hospitals.
In contrast to this, Shickel, Tighe, Bihorac, and Rashidi, (2017) illustrated that digital health
record could be advantageous for patients as it facilitates them to check their personal health
records such as medical traits, past diagnostics, and administration of the drug. The patient
can be competent to organize their health booking as well as a consultancy by using the
digital health record. It is fact that digital health record could be used for centrally managed
and stored. It is stated that the case of losses in personal data due to misplacement and
negligence can be declined. It indicates that there is no need to fill fresh form each time when
patient visit in a healthcare facility. Moreover, a digital health record takes less time for
patients due to eliminating physical record. With the digital record, the clinicians have
centrally maintained all the files as it could be easily accessed.
Barriers and Risks Associated with digital Health Records Application
According to Levy, Janke, and Langa, (2015), there are certain barriers, which may hinder
the optimization of digital health records in hospitals. It could be resolved by using effective
strategies. The data incorporated in digital health record can be accessible by different
departments in a healthcare unit. It is an effective aspect, which needs a very secure process

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of maintenance. Along with this, a high standard of security can be translated into the high
cost of maintenance that cannot be afforded by the majority of care providers.
In opposed to this, Topol, Steinhubl, and Torkamani, (2015) evaluated that clinicians may
have different competencies in the usage of the digital health record. It could be hazardous
when essential data is either misplaced or accidentally changed. In spite of security issues at
the workplace, it is considered that such health record could be prone to unofficial access and
impairment by external parties like viruses, web hackers, along with internet-based threats of
security.
As per the view of Shickel, Tighe, Bihorac, and Rashidi, (2017) a digital health record can be
centrally organized hence distinct personnel may have the right to access them. For example,
the medical record of the patient could be accessed without difficulty by a different
department within a facility and externally by another unit of healthcare. It indicates unethical
usage of patient’s record. It may lead to wrong medication and diagnosis. There is fact that
digital health record is a comparatively current development in practices of medical hence
there is no adequate regulation concerning disclosure and use of personal data. It is a key
challenge in the practices of the digital health record.
Sheikh, Jha, Cresswell, Greaves, and Bates, (2014) argued that for succeeding the digital
health record, there is need of integrity with accountability in order to determine distinct roles
in practices of medicine. It will involve accountability on the part of the clinician, patients,
insurance corporations, health management, and other hospital staff. When healthcare key
players and government makes effort to execute such measures, then there could be issues
that the number of personnel can access the digital health record. Along with this, the base of
the patient is huge so that there could be chances of mass breach of privacy and
confidentiality about information of the patient.

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In support of this, Fernández-Luque and Bau, (2015) stated that there is no clear rule with
regulation to govern the retention, creation, and sharing of the information of the patient.
Initially, Healthcare organization should use a harmonized way to generate the file of the
patient. There is also need to include an identifier of the patient, which should be mandatory
to apply across all healthcare providers. Moreover, Healthcare organization should also make
a standard layout for the collection of patient data across the profession of healthcare. Lastly,
Organization should be aware of the standard way of data sharing amongst various hospitals
of healthcare units. These requirements involve the alteration in preference by patients,
referrals, and even cases in which some healthcare units close down and data of patient needs
to be kept.
In contrast to this, Sheikh, Jha, Cresswell, Greaves, and Bates, (2014) evaluated that there are
two approaches that could be used by the hospital in order to improve the sharing of
information amongst hospitals. These approaches are centralized information server model
and peer to peer model. These approaches will facilitate the organization to appropriately
share data and get a reliable outcome.
Conclusion
As per the above discussion, it can be observed that digital health record enables the
healthcare organization to record all information of patients at one place in the least time and
cost. According to my perspective, healthcare organization could take many benefits by
usage of the digital health record technique. It considers easily access data, timely offer
reliable services, prompt service, secure many patients records, deal with the diverse
situation, cost-effective, and make a reliable decision. Due to the lack of understanding of
digital health record system implementation, hospitals may confront from many problems
like possibilities of wrong diagnosis and medication, disclose the confidentiality of patient’s,
and unethical code of conduct.

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Recommendation
It can be recommended that organization should use the audit system in specified time to
understand the actual situation of the digital health record and make the correction as per the
situation it could be effective for making consistency in the whole process. It could also be
effective for securing the confidentiality of the patients.

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