A Literature Review on the Effectiveness of EHRs in Aged Care Services

This report provides a comprehensive literature review on the effectiveness of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in aged care settings, focusing on nursing homes. It begins by introducing the concept of EHRs and their evolution, highlighting their importance in improving healthcare quality and patient safety. The report explores the methodologies used in EHR systems and examines previous studies on their impact on aged care services, including both residential and non-residential facilities. It discusses the benefits such as improved documentation, communication, and patient care, while also addressing alternative viewpoints and potential disadvantages like data entry challenges and user resistance. The report also presents key findings, emphasizing the positive impact of EHRs on patient safety and satisfaction. Finally, it concludes by underscoring the critical role of training and skill development for healthcare professionals to maximize the benefits of EHRs in aged care, and includes a selection table summarizing the studies reviewed. The report is contributed by a student and available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools.

Running head: EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
Effectiveness of electronic health records in aged care for nursing homes
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
Table of Contents
Introduction: 2
Background context: 2
Methodologies in EHR: 3
Previous studies on effectiveness of aged care: 4
Mainstream versus alternative viewpoints: 5
Principle questions and verdict: 5
Conclusion: 6
Selection table: 6
References: 10

2EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
Introduction:
One of the blessings bestowed by the technological innovations to the society has been the
information and communication technology and it has found acceptance in almost all of the
public service sectors including health care services. The introduction of the electronic health
records have been by far the most revolutionary breakthrough for the field of health care and
health informatics. Health information technology can be defined by the process that can collect,
report, manage and transmit medical data and information of different patients and keep records
of the performance of the health care professionals, and electronic health records are the tool that
enables the health care facilities to achieve the same. EHRs are the computerized tools that can
collect, process, store and present patient information generated by the encounters and activities
in any of the care delivery settings, which has been considered as one of the most important tools
n order to improve the quality and safety of the care provided. This literature review will focus
on the effectiveness of the electronic health records in the context of aged care services (Jha et
al., 2010).
Background context:
The origin of medical records can be dated back to the fifth century BC, and it served the
purpose of identifying the cause of a particular disease and document the treatment plan
followed. In the 1960s the paper based medical records were the mode of patient information
utilized globally in all kinds of clinical treatments. In the early 21st century, the emergence of
information technology into the health care sector brought forward the field of health
informatics, and electronic health records came into being. In the current age, EHR is viewed as
the solution to the most of the challenges in the health care sector, and is utilized by almost all

3EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
health care professionals, such as specialists, physicians, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists,
pharmacists, dieticians, lab technicians, radiologists and others. Many authors have opined
electronic health records to be the revolutionary transition that, if utilized properly, has the
potential to change the face of health care altogether (Jha et al., 2010).
Methodologies in EHR:
The operation of the EHR enables the health care professional to record the heath care
information about the patient digitally and the activities undertaken to carte for the patient in a
digital format that is processed and stored in a database that can be accessed by the health care
professionals anytime and anywhere with authorized access to the data. Undoubtedly the
importance of that in improving the care quality and safety will be radical, that is the reason EHR
has become the necessity in the health care industry globally. The operation of the electronic
health records is easy as well; the EHR comprises of patient identity, medical history,
demographics, immunization status, medication allergies, radiology images, lab tests, vital signs,
and personal statistics for the patient and the health care professionals are supposed to enter the
information each time they visit the patient. The health care professionals have to make entry
into the EHR every time they take assessment of the patient, in order to view the data previously
entered by the other health care professionals and enter the data taken by the health care
professional. Following this simple protocol can ensure that quality and optimal care is being
provided to the patient and the safety and wellbeing of the patient is being given the first priority.
In case of the aging patients, it is even more useful as there are a lot of complications associated
with the aging and frail patient and there a lot o safety risks for the aging patients on residential
care like fall risk, pressure injury, anxiety, respiratory infections, etc. Maintaining a strict EHR

4EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
protocol will ensure that the all the factors associated with the aging patients are being
considered (Rathert et al., 2017).
Previous studies on effectiveness of aged care:
According to the authors, Healthcare Informatics and electronic health records has been
introduced into the aged care system both residential and nonresidential few years back in order
to improve both the effectiveness of the aged care and the safety of aged care. Hindustani the
authors have carried out a qualitative review on the effectiveness of electronic health records in
improving the aged care services taking the context of the Australian hospitals. The results
indicated that there were 3 categories of benefits as perceived by the Healthcare stuff due to the
implementation of electronic health records into the treatment procedure (Zhang, Yu & Shen,
2012). The first benefits encountered by the staff had been in the documentation sector which
enabled the staff to access the medical information about the patient every time they encountered
the patient for assessment or treatment. Along with that and organized set of data help them
serve higher quality of care to the patients and enabled smoother communication between the
patient and the aged care staff. The electronic health records also enabled effective interpersonal
communication between the aged care team assigned for a particular patient where one benefit
led to another crafting an optimal care for the patients. The article by Yu indicated and similar
results in a case study within the contact of Australian residential aged care fat staff responded
with improved system and service quality improved information storage and access system
improved training and self efficacy and improved patient satisfaction within the aged care (Yu et
al., 2013). According to the study by Chung and Cho, authors assessed the performance of the
HR systems within the context of aged care services and the results indicated that
implementation of HR systems not only improve to the reliability of The aged care services but it

5EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
also escalated the patient satisfaction and experience of stay in The aged care facility (Chung &
Cho, 2017).
Mainstream versus alternative viewpoints:
Although most of the studies indicate at the effectiveness of ESR records there are some
disadvantages of HR installation into the aged care system as well. These alternate viewpoints
were facilitated by you at all. In this study the authors attempted to investigate the unintended
adverse consequences of implementing EHR in the residential aged care facilities taking into
consideration the organizations within the Australian Capital Territory (Yu et al., 2013). The
results indicated the presence of 8 categories of adverse consequences such as inability after staff
in proper data entry, inability in Information retrieval, user resistance, and increased complexity
of information management, confidentiality concerns, and complicated care delivery services.
Similar alternative use measured by relevant studies on the adverse consequences of EHR into
residential Aged care services.
Principle questions and verdict:
The principal questions that are asked in this literature review regarding the efficiency of
EHR systems in improving the care quality and cash delivery of the aged Care Services within
residential settings. Along with that this literature review attempted to question the patient safety
and patient satisfaction in accordance with an active EHR system in the residential aged care
facility. The results of this literature review indicated at the radical improvement of aged care
services due to the range of benefits facilitated by HR system and also indicated and improved
Patient Safety and patient satisfaction within the similar context. The challenges that were found
prevalent within the implementation of EHR in aged care services can be improved by training

6EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
and skill enrichment of the Healthcare professionals so that they can understand the operation of
EHR Services more appropriately and improve their professional efficiency along with the
quality of the care they provide (Chung & Cho, 2017).
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it can be said that the importance of the EHR is an essential tool in
improving the care quality and escalating patient safety and patient satisfaction within any health
care division including aged care services. However the lack of proper and large scale training
and skill improvement of the health care staff is creating changes in optimal us of the
revolutionary service, therefore, proper and periodic training can improve the future of health
care services radically.
Selection table:
Study Authors Design Database Selection
status
Reason

7EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
The
benefits of
introducing
electronic
health
records in
residential
aged care
facilities: a
multiple
case
study.
Zhang, Y.,
Yu, P., &
Shen, J.
(2012).
Qualitative
review
PubMed included Explained in
detail the
benefits of
introducing
electronic
health records
in residential
aged care
Measuring the
performance
of electronic
health
records: a
case study in
residential
aged care in
Australia.
Yu, P., Qian,
S., Yu, H., &
Lei, J. (2013)
Qualitative
review
PubMed included Explained in
detail the
performance
of EHR
Unintended
adverse
consequences
Yu, P.,
Zhang, Y.,
Gong, Y., &
Qualitative
interview
study
PubMed included Provided
alternate
viewpoint on

8EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
of introducing
electronic
health records
in residential
aged care
homes.
International
journal of
medical
informatics,
Zhang, J.
(2013).
EHR
Measuring the
performance
of electronic
health
records: a
case study in
residential
aged care in
Australia.
Yu, P., Qian,
S., Yu, H., &
Lei, J. (2013).
Systematic
review
PubMed Included Provided an
insight on the
performance
of the HER
on the aged
care
Seven years
after
Meaningful
Use:
Rathert, C.,
Porter, T. H.,
Mittler, J. N.,
& Fleig-
Qualitative
review
PubMed included Explained
Her from a
physician’s
point of view

9EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
Physicians'
and nurses'
experiences
with
electronic
health
records.
Palmer, M.
(2017).
Potential
Effects of the
Electronic
Health
Record on the
Small
Physician
Practice: A
Delphi Study.
Sines, C. C.,
& Griffin, G.
R. (2017).
Qualitative
review
PubMed included Provided
potential
effects of
HER in small
health care
settings
The need for
academic
electronic
health record
systems in
nurse
education.
Chung, J., &
Cho, I.
(2017).
Systematic
review
PubMed included Provided the
need for
training and
education on
EHR for the
nursing staff

10EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
A progress
report on
electronic
health records
in US
hospitals.
Jha, A. K.,
DesRoches,
C. M.,
Kralovec, P.
D., & Joshi,
M. S. (2010).
Report Google
scholar
included Provided
insight on
global
progress of
the EHR in
general.
Health
information
technology: an
updated
systematic
review with a
focus on
meaningful
use.
Jones, S. S.,
Rudin, R. S.,
Perry, T., &
Shekelle, P. G.
(2014).
Qualitative
review
Google
scholar
excluded Incomplete
and confusing
data
Using
electronic
health records
to drive
discovery in
disease
genomics.
Kohane, I. S.
(2011).
Qualitative
review
Google
scholar
excluded Irrelevant
content

11EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN AGED CARE
References:
Chung, J., & Cho, I. (2017). The need for academic electronic health record systems in nurse
education. Nurse Education Today, 54, 83-88.
Jha, A. K., DesRoches, C. M., Kralovec, P. D., & Joshi, M. S. (2010). A progress report on
electronic health records in US hospitals. Health affairs, 29(10), 1951-1957.
Rathert, C., Porter, T. H., Mittler, J. N., & Fleig-Palmer, M. (2017). Seven years after
Meaningful Use: Physicians' and nurses' experiences with electronic health records.
Health Care Management Review.
Sines, C. C., & Griffin, G. R. (2017). Potential Effects of the Electronic Health Record on the
Small Physician Practice: A Delphi Study. Perspectives in health information
management, 14(Spring).
Yu, P., Qian, S., Yu, H., & Lei, J. (2013). Measuring the performance of electronic health
records: a case study in residential aged care in Australia.
Yu, P., Zhang, Y., Gong, Y., & Zhang, J. (2013). Unintended adverse consequences of
introducing electronic health records in residential aged care homes. International journal
of medical informatics, 82(9), 772-788.
Zhang, Y., Yu, P., & Shen, J. (2012). The benefits of introducing electronic health records in
residential aged care facilities: a multiple case study. International journal of medical
informatics, 81(10), 690-704.