EHR Software: The healthcare sector continues to evolve with the help of technological advancements. Electronic Health Record (EHR) software enables providers and hospitals to take full advantage of technology to improve care delivery and reduce up to 49.2% of the doctor’s time in the office.
In this article, we will discuss “What is EHR and the major difference between EHR and EMR. What are the benefits of EHR development, EHR Implementations steps? What are different types of EHR, and how do you make the right choice while selecting EHR?”
Table of Contents
What is EHR software?
EHR software is a system that assists healthcare providers in managing patient medical records and automating clinical workflows. It includes patients’ past medical and treatment history, diagnoses and lab reports, imaging studies, immunisation dates, allergies, and more. EHR allows providers to access patient records in real time and create customizable templates for taking SOAP notes during encounters.
Major Differences Between EMRs and EHRs
EMR and EHR are used interchangeably, and both do the same job for the most part, but there are a few differences.
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are the digital version of the patient’s medical records, such as history, diagnoses, treatments, medications, and other clinical data. It is managed by a single healthcare provider, which cannot be shared with other providers.
Electronic Health Record (EHRs) is super set and has all features and capabilities like EMR. It is a comprehensive system that goes beyond the patient’s medical history. It comprises a long-term assessment of a patient’s health history information, including healthcare providers, laboratories, pharmacies, and hospitals. EHRs call for interoperability to exchange patient data with different healthcare specialists and systems. It assists in better care coordination, especially when patients receive treatment from multiple providers.
EHR Development: Benefits, and Implementation steps
Benefits of EHR Development
Improved Patient Care
EHR assists in providing better healthcare facilities to patients. It enabled quick access to patient records in a single click, ultimately leading to more efficient care. EHR offers providers health data analytics to recognize changing patterns, anticipate diagnosis, and suggest potential treatment options
Increase Patient Participation
Patients can access patient portals through EHR, accessing past medical histories such as lab results, imaging studies, medications, diagnoses, and more. EHR allows patients to communicate via instant messaging and video calling with their providers.
Improved Care Coordination
Providers can update patient information in real-time, giving another involved healthcare specialist an accurate patient report. Electronic Health Records help connect every provider, specialist, or caregiver involved in an individual patient’s healthcare, improving overall care coordination.
Improved Diagnosis & Patient Outcomes
EHR stores the patient records such as medications or allergies and automatically diagnoses for threats whenever a new medication is prescribed and further alerts the providers for potential conflicts. EHR pushes and pulls laboratory tests, diagnostic images, and medication via preferred pharmacies, improving patient outcomes.
Practice Efficiencies and Cost Savings
EHR enhances medical practice management through automated scheduling systems integrating appointments to notes, automating billing codes, and managing claims. EHR cut down time and resources for manual entries, resulting in errorless billing and cost savings.
EHR Implementation Steps
- Requirement Gathering: The first step of EHR implementation is requirement gathering. Start with analysing what features and functionality your healthcare organisation or practice needs in an EHR.
- RFI and RFP: Once the requirements have been identified, research potential EHR vendors and submit a Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposals (RFP) to the prospective vendors.
- Evaluate RFI and RFP Feedback: Once the RFIs and RFPs have been acknowledged, the selection team can assess the responses on how well the EHR vendor has followed the requirement list.
- Shortlist Potential Vendors: List 3 or 4 top vendors and schedule an EHR demonstration. Request the shortlisted vendors to provide live product demonstrations, and the selection team will have the opportunity to get answers to their queries.
- Selection: The vendor is finalised, contracts are being negotiated, and the process of EHR implementation is commenced.
- Preparation and Planning to go live: The selection team and the EHR vendor representatives prepare and plan how the EHR software and hardware will get deployed. In addition to that, plans are made to train the staff on the new system.
What are the Different Types Of EHRs?
EHRs are categorised based on where they are kept. There are two types of EHRs.
a. Locally-Hosted EHRs
Electronic Health Records hosted locally continue to be on the healthcare organizations’ servers. It means the organization has complete control over the data, including its security and accessibility. EHR hosted locally is less preferred because it calls for more responsibilities to be taken care of. Moreover, it is more susceptible to getting hacked and eventually losing data.
b. Cloud-hosted EHRs
Cloud-hosted EHR stores and manages patient data on remote servers in the cloud and is maintained by the EHR vendor. It is known for its scalability and flexibility according to the needs of a growing practice and
Making the Choice: Factors Influencing EHR Selection
– Size and Scope of Healthcare Business
EHR system must meet the practice’s specific needs, size, and number of patients to be enrolled. For example, larger practices need a system that can handle high-volume data and transactions, while smaller practices may need a more straightforward system. The type of healthcare a practice provides also affects the selection of an EHR system.
– Interoperability Requirements
Interoperability requirements of providers will vary depending on their specific needs. When selecting an EHR system, providers should carefully assess their interoperability requirements. EHR vendors should specify the system’s interoperability capabilities and the standard it supports.
– Data Security and Privacy
EHR systems must be HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acompliance to govern data security and privacy. It must have robust security measures to protect patient data from unauthorized access or use. Moreover, security and privacy measures should be simple, making it difficult for providers to use the EHR system. It must be easy to use and navigate.
Market stats of EHR software
The global Electronic Health Records market size is estimated to grow from USD 19.66 billion in 2023 to USD 26.50 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 6.15%. This exponential growth suggests that EHR systems are more prevalent in the U.S. and globally due to certain advantages.
- The swift development of Remote Patient Monitoring Software allows healthcare providers to monitor patient vitals anywhere, anytime.
- Seamless integration with AI, voice recognition, Big Data analytics, blockchain, and other technologies ensures that scientists and researchers thrive with the existing data.
- Widespread use of IoMT-like sensors and wearable devices to enhance patient care.
Telemedicine solutions encourage self-evaluation and call for early intervention. is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. EHRs hosted on the cloud are more secure and cost-effective than on-premises EHRs as the provider does not have to purchase and maintain their servers.
Conclusion
In summary, EHR is an essential foundation for future medical practices. EHR software development is a critical decision for healthcare businesses aiming to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and ensure data security. Understanding the differences between EHR and EMR, the various types of EHRs, market trends, and considerations of EHR development is essential. Factors like the size and scope of the healthcare business, interoperability requirements, and data security must be carefully evaluated when selecting an EHR system. Making the right choice in EHR software can significantly impact the quality of care and efficiency of healthcare delivery.
