Once considered a luxury, EHR Software has become a necessity for modern providers who want to stay viable in today’s healthcare climate. If your practice has yet to transition to electronic health records, learn how this efficient technology can help save time, money and, in certain instances, lives.

EHR Benefits to Practitioners

A properly integrated EHR system can be a godsend for medical practitioners who want to improve patient care and streamline operational efficiencies.

When a patient is under the care of multiple doctors, for instance, it can be challenging for a doctor to track blood type, allergies, past procedures, current medications and other relevant information using only paper charts. By allowing multiple providers to simultaneously access patient records from any computer, a good EHR system allows for more efficient collaboration, while reducing the risk of error.

In addition to this major benefit, electronic health records also offer busy practitioners the following big advantages:

• Less paperwork: Administrative duties are a huge burden for professionals working in the healthcare industry. Since it is paperless, EHR software can streamline all sorts of routine tasks. It can also reduce the need for paper storage and tedious paper file retrieval.
• Increased quality of care: Through improved communication and real-time information access, providers are able to treat patients more efficiently. Electronic prescribing can also allow physicians to communicate directly with the pharmacy, while automatically checking for serious drug interactions.
• Financial incentives: Meaningful use of EHR technology has become a key requirement for practitioners who want to gain higher reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Electronic health records also reduce waste, while allowing physicians and their staff to make better use of limited time.

EHR Benefits to Patients

There’s no doubting that electronic health records offer big benefits to practitioners. At the same time, they also create advantages for patients by streamlining the healthcare process. In addition to reducing the likelihood of error, EHR systems facilitate communication between providers at just about every level. Instead of a simple snapshot-type overview of a patient’s medical history, providers are able access every key detail. This allows doctors and specialists to perform in-depth evaluations and reach accurate diagnoses in a timelier manner.

Electronic health records also make it easy for physicians to follow up with patients and track all continuing care, whether it’s performed by them or another doctor. Physicians are able to easily pull up test results in the exam room and review them alongside a patient. They can also verify past examinations and review imagining tests on demand.

At bare minimum, an EHR system promotes faster patient care. While this can be a major convenience for patients in traditional circumstances; it can be a lifesaving asset in emergency situations, when critical information can mean the difference between life and death.