How the EMR is Increasing Transformation in Health Care Sector

Gone are the days of running down to a dank basement to find a stack of paper files when a patient visits the physician’s clinic. The steady rise in the latest trends of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) has revolutionized the way patient records are documented and processed. 

According to Global EMR Market 2020, “Global demand for the electronic medical record market was valued at approximately USD 27.1 billion in 2019 and is expected to generate revenue of around USD 40.8 billion by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of around 6.2% between 2020 and 2026.”

Electronic Medical Records have a powerful impact on improving the safety, efficiency, and quality of healthcare being provided to patients while safeguarding their privacy.

Significant benefits of EMR adoption

Nowadays EMR does so much more than just digitalize the patient’s health information. It has become critically essential to everything done by the physicians in the multi-specialty clinics to provide advanced diagnostics benefits. Getting familiar with the benefits of EMR systems is only the first step for providers hoping to make the switch from paper-based records to digital ones.

The key advantages of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are as follows.

Identifying patients who need care 

The EMR helps to identify patients who need more care. For example, identify patients who need breast cancer screening. By having specific programs that look at the patient’s name, the last date of service to observe the patient have a mammogram, identify the patient who didn’t have that, and are in needful medical care.

Data accessibility & searchability

Information is accessible and available to all the people who need it. Also when you have data and electronic form that is in a discrete data element, it becomes searchable and actionable.

Improved Clinical reporting

EMR does remarkably well in managing the data. The specific data elements mean the same thing across all areas of clinical operations. So, when the data is extracted in the backend, the data is meaningful.

Meaningful use eligibility 

The meaningful data extracted is used to report clinical quality measures, meaningful use objectives. Meaningful use is a multi-stage government program that offers financial incentives to EMR using practices making meaning use eligibility a key EMR adoption advantage.

How Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) improve the efficiency of the hospital services

Proficient healthcare is the need of the hour with the looming coronavirus pandemic. The leading healthcare providers are progressively using information technology (IT) tools, such as Electronic Medical Records to improve service efficacy in managing patient data. Let us dive into the list that propagates that switching from the traditional way of handling health services to EMR software is a win-win formula.

1. Provide patient information

Getting the patient’s details at a single click is not less than a blessing. It avoids unnecessary tests and expenses. By implementing the EMR system, you can get crucial information about a patient’s medical history. It helps the physician or healthcare providers to jump to the right course of treatment for the patients in a short time. 

2. Go paperless with EMRs

Some key challenges faced by traditional or paper-based healthcare systems are as follows:

  • High investment & low return on investment (RoI)
  • Time to set up the systems, 
  • High training costs
  • Compatibility issues with other electronic data exchange with other systems
  • Security issues

Adopting an EMR system helps you as a health provider to go paperless as it comprises the entire medical history of the patients from one practice. You provide enough physical storage space and frees administrative staff from monotonous routine tasks like filling up forms. It allows hassle-free submission of billing claims electronically.

3. Reduces the risk of errors

Apart from enhancing patient care and reducing the risk or errors, electronic medical records improve the efficiency and productivity of your medical staff. According to Harvard Business Review, “58% of patients referred to a noteworthy medical center in Seattle for back surgery were recommended surgery even when they could have been treated better without surgery.” 

It was also found that many patients were being prescribed expensive MRI/CT scans, many of which were not relevant. It created unnecessary emotional and financial burdens. Deploying an EMR software to your clinic or hospital can avoid such defects. It also creates a good image of your service to patients, which will encourage them to return to you as well as refer you among their friends & family.

4. Track patient’s data over time

An EMR system allows healthcare providers to track patient’s data from time to time. It helps to identify patients who are due for their routine checkup. 

With electronic medical records: 

  • There is no chance of getting a patient’s files lost or misplaced. 
  • The chances of data errors that happen during transcription is nil. 
  • It monitors the progress of a patients’ treatment and enhances the overall service quality.

5. Provide accurate information about patients

Information accuracy is one of the major ways of how EMRs improve the efficiency of health care services. They provide authentic details about patients in a short time, ensuring the best care. Healthcare providers and physicians can access the reports to get the complete history, including test results, allowing efficient collaboration on multiple facets of providing utmost care to the patient.

What’s more?

Few of more ways how EMRs are critically vital for the healthcare industry for effective management of services.

  • EMRs play a key role in making informed clinical decisions by the physicians and prescribe relevant medical tests & medication.
  • It encourages good health by propagating healthcare tips and best practices for better lifestyle practices.
  • Paper prescriptions have the chance of getting misplaced or lost. With EMRs, there is direct communication with the physician, which curtails errors and saves time.

Final thoughts

EMRs are truly renovating healthcare organizations across the globe. Healthcare providers, clinics, or hospitals adopt the modern trends of electronic medical records (EMRs) will witness a higher ROI and greater market share at affordable costs. Hopefully, the transforming world of healthcare technology will continue to adapt EMR for the better!!!