EHRS: Features, Implementation, Risks, and Benefits in Healthcare

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Electronic Health Record Systems (EHRS). It begins by defining EHRS and highlighting its advantages over paper records, emphasizing its security and efficiency in data management. The report identifies key stakeholders involved in EHRS implementation, including healthcare providers, patients, and insurance companies. It outlines a roadmap for EHRS implementation, utilizing Kurt Lewin's change model to ensure a structured approach. The implementation scheme includes pre-planning, strategic planning, team formation, training, and system installation. Benefits of EHRS are discussed, such as improved diagnosis, reduced medical errors, and streamlined clinical workflows. The report also addresses resource requirements, including financial support, skilled personnel, and internet access. Potential risks, such as technical issues, poor planning, and lack of interoperability, are highlighted, along with strategies to eliminate barriers, like training and counseling sessions. The report references several sources to support its findings.

Electronic Health Record System:
Features and leadership

What is Electronic Health Record System or EHRS?
Electronic health record system is a method of computerized collection of patient health related details and
records
It is an appropriate method of secured storage of patient centered health information
The storage is done in a digital representative format
This electronic record can be shared across various health care settings
Electronic data of medical records allow instant access of patient medical details

Paper records EHRS
 Paper records can be manipulated or
falsified by health officials
 It is not reliable, authentic and safe
 Tracking down of previous medical
records is cumbersome and time-
consuming with an increase in patient
medical files
 Electronic records does not allow
manipulation of data in digital format
 It is reliable, authentic and safe
 Tracking of patient medical records is
easier and possible from any location
as it requires only internet access; it
is much time-consuming
VERSUS

Key stakeholders in bringing a new change
 Health care stakeholders
 Health officials,
 patients,
 physicians,
 insurance companies,
 pharmaceutical firms,
 government agencies
Roadmap to EHRS initiative and implementation
 Kurt Lewin’s change model is taken help of to provide a successful implementation of EHRS
initiative.
 This can be achieved through Unfreeze, Implement and Freeze structures

Outline of implementation scheme
 Preplanned meetings with the health officials and stakeholders
 Strategic planning of implementation of EHRS
 Forming small scale teams of health officials
 Establishing advising health teams
 Distribution of brochure, posters and flyers
 Installation of computer systems in hospitals
 Involving computer software experts
 Provide frequent training to the health care teams
 Establish a new team of computer experts to provide programming assistance to the health care
teams
 Provide training on computer handling and software programming

Benefit of EHRS in health care functioning
 It will improve diagnosis of patients
 It will reduces high incidence of medical errors
 It has an improvement of patient outcomes
 More number of medical cases can be handled in less time
 The clinical workflow can be made more streamline with electronic record maintenance
 Greater focus can be given to the patients in treating their medical issues
 This allows nurses to provide quality care and attention to the patients

Resourceful support
The implementation of Electronic Health Record System requires resourceful support for successful impact
 Financial cost : achieved through assistance of government agencies and pharmaceutical firms.
 Health officials : Medical teams of doctors and nurses can work together
 Computer experts : Software programming experts can provide assistance to the medical health teams in learning
and updating of medical records.
 Internet access : Entry and extraction of patient medical history and related details in databases requires internet
services.
 Computer systems : Many computer systems need to be installed in patient examination rooms.
 Efficient management team : The monitoring and management of electronic record maintenance can be achieved
through an efficient management team.

Potential risks of EHRS implementation
 Technical issues
 Poor planning strategies
 Lack of confidentiality maintenance
 Lack of well trained informatics
 Lack of information standards
 Issues of financial reimbursement leading to significant losses
 Deficient interoperability
 Lack of funding resources
 Communication gap between the health experts and technical experts
 Inefficient technical handling

Impacts of poor planning
 Cash flow issues
 Late payments to suppliers
 Problem of retention of health care
employees
 Loyalty issues among health care
employees
 Patient dissatisfaction

Potential barriers
 Large investment costs and its misalignment with financial reimbursements
 Lack of well-trained clinicians and informatics specialist
 Lack of availability of financial sponsorships
 Communication gap and deficient in adaptability

Eliminating potential barriers
 Arrange for training sessions frequently among the clinicians in
order to educate them
 Providing computer learning and a basic programming session
 Short counseling and interactive sessions would help to increase the
adaptability of the health officials with the new electronic system
 Arrange for a systematic approach of providing questionnaires to
the patients

References
Adler-Milstein, J., DesRoches, C. M., Kralovec, P., Foster, G., Worzala, C., Charles,
D., ... & Jha, A. K. (2015). Electronic health record adoption in US hospitals:
progress continues, but challenges persist. Health affairs, 34(12), 2174-2180.
Ajami, S., & Arab-Chadegani, R. (2013). Barriers to implement electronic health
records (EHRs). Materia socio-medica, 25(3), 213.
Cummings, S., Bridgman, T., & Brown, K. G. (2016). Unfreezing change as three
steps: Rethinking Kurt Lewin’s legacy for change management. human
relations, 69(1), 33-60.