Electronic Medical Record Impact on Physician Office - Essay Example

Electronic medical records require medical professionals to record the information about their patients electronically. US Federal Government has allowed incentives for physicians to use electronic medical devices in more meaningful manner. Over the period of time the adaptability of the technology has been slow but physicians are adapting. The impact of electronic medical records on physicians’ office can be enormous because it not only results into better patient outcomes but also reduces cost and improves productivity. Various studies have been mentioned suggesting mixed results of electronic medical records and their impact on physician office. Introduction An electronic medical record is a computerized and digital medical record of patients specifically created by organizations delivering health care services. Electronic Medical Records considered as standalone medical records which can be accessed, retrieved as well as stored on electronic media through various devices. Paper based recording of patient information is still one of the major means of recording patient information. Physicians tend to prefer recording information on paper based means as compared to electronic records. It is also critical to note however that paper based recording requires relatively large storage space and they are held for limited period of time thus making them relatively risky means of recording patient information. Medical treatment is a lifelong process and may require immediate access to complete medical records therefore paper records may not serve the purpose immediately. There are various arguments in terms of implementing electronic medical records (EMR) and it is suggested that implementing them results into efficient usage, better quality as well as low cost. It is also critical to note that EMRs are believed to have an impact on the productivity of a physician’s office. Various studies on understanding the impact of EMRs on physician’s office in terms of productivity and other factors have been carried out suggesting mixed results. This paper will explore and discuss the electronic records and physician’s office and how both can corroborate each other. Electronic Medical Records As discussed above that electronic medical record is an electronic recording of patient’s history and medical information. Electronic medical records are mainly recorded, saved, retrieved and accessed by the institutions providing medical and health care. Physicians’ office is also one of the major users of electronic medical records. As compared to the paper based record keeping, electronic medical records are relatively easier to store and save as they do not require much space. Further, they can be accessed for longer period of time as compared to the paper based records and offer more usability as well as ease with which they can be accessed and manipulated. It is also critical to note that EMRs can be expensive to maintain as well as manage because hospitals and care providers not only have to obtain the required equipment and software to capture the data but also need dedicated staff and other members to keep the system working. (Richards, Ryan, & Prybutok, 2012) As compared to paper based medical records, electronic medical records may be subject to security issues and unauthorized access. Not only they can be easily stolen but they can be accessed by anyone with right information. As such patient information which is otherwise considered as secret and personal may be comprised. EMRs may be portable however data transfer from one portable device to another and sharability of the data may be limited if patients are treated at different care facilities and under different medical conditions. Electronic Medical Records and Physician’s Office Over the period of time, investments have been made in developing and maintaining EMRs in order to improve the efficiency and productivity of the physicians’ office. The obvious benefits of adapting this approach are based upon the perceived benefits of increased office productivity, better care coordination as well as the patient safety. However, despite such benefits, there are still some challenges in terms of adapting office based EMRs and getting their full benefit. Some research studies provided systematic reviews of how the EMRs can be used under different conditions including diabetes management, decision support, patient record quality, communication as well as achieving better overall patient outcome. Though certain studies have pointed out improvements in the above mentioned areas however, there still remain some important challenges which need to be addressed. (Darr, Harrison, Shakked, & Shalom, 2003) One of the most significant challenges is the variability of the patient records including variable consistency as well as the accuracy. It is therefore suggested that physician’s office can only be able to achieve seamless integration of EMRs with above benefits if significant amount of effort is made to reconcile the differences between different approaches. (Stanberry, 2011) It is also important to note that the implementation of EMRs at the physician level and at the relatively large settings may differ from each other. Since most of the physician’s offices are relatively small and private therefore the overall implications of EMRs may be different for a physician’s office as compared to other institutions where they are implemented. Choosing the right kind of EMR is considered as a strategic issue because it has a long term ramifications for the office. As such it is argued that a holistic approach should be taken while considering implementing EMR as it will not only result into better implementation but can also maximize the benefits. It has also been argued that due to proper implementation of EMRs, a physician may be able to see more patients per day as compared to the patients normally seen. This therefore clearly results into improved productivity for the physicians. EMRs have also been used for the purpose of reminders mammography, pap tests and other related tests and have resulted into increased compliance by the physicians. As such, properly integrated and implemented EMRs can effectively increase the compliance rate as well as improve the physician’s performance. (Riesenmy, 2010) From the perspective of patients, EMR can really help physician’s office to virtually share the data of patients with their other care providers. However, in order to ensure that correct data is shared and distributed, it is critical to set up sophisticated infrastructure. This however requires significant amount of investment and effort which may discourage physicians to take on such endeavors. In United States of America, Physicians are required to implement EMR within their offices as per the regulations set by the Federal government. Federal Government offers incentives to the physicians to adapt to the electronic medical records however, despite such incentives offered, approximately 51% of the physicians have adapted these EMRs. The lack of adaptability of the same in the Physician’s office therefore can be attributed to various factors. These incentives have been offered under the economic stimulus plan in order to ensure that meaningful implementation of the electronic medical records takes place at the nation-wide level. However, despite such increasing emphasis being placed by the government overall rate of implementing the technology is relatively low. (Jamoom, Beatty, Bercovitz, Woodwell, Palso, & Rechtsteiner, 2012) Level of satisfaction with the existing systems is another important issue for the physicians to deal with. Increasingly, it has been shown that the physicians may not be entirely satisfied with the overall quality and utility offered by the existing systems and procedures in place for developing and maintaining electronic medical records. Conclusion Electronic medical records are not new in the field of medical science however their adaptation is still slow. Electronic medical records are the electronic records containing information about the health related aspects of the patients. They are more secure as well as can be accessed fast and shared easily. During various studies, it has been reported that the physicians have suggested that their productivity as well as effectiveness has improved. Not only the overall patient outcomes have improved by adapting EMRs but physicians were more compliant with the existing procedures and regulations while treating the patients. However, despite such importance, the overall implementation of EMR within Physicians office is relatively low. There can be various factors attributed to this behavior however the adaption rate is increasing specially after US government announced incentives for the same. Bibliography Darr, A., Harrison, M., Shakked, L., & Shalom, N. (2003). Physicians’ and nurses’ reactions to electronic medical records: Managerial and occupational implications. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 17(5), 349 - 359. Jamoom, E., Beatty, P., Bercovitz, A., Woodwell, D., Palso, K., & Rechtsteiner, E. (2012, July). Physician Adoption of Electronic Health Record Systems: United States, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2013, from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db98.htm Richards, R. J., Ryan, S., & Prybutok, V. (2012). Electronic medical records: tools for competitive advantage. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 4(2), 120 - 136. Riesenmy, K. R. (2010). Physician sensemaking and readiness for electronic medical records. Learning Organization, 17(2), 163 - 177. Stanberry, K. (2011). US and global efforts to expand the use of electronic health records. Records Management Journal, 21(3), 214 - 224. Read More