Question

EHR systems are being implemented across the United States. What are the positives and negatives of this trend? What is meaningful use?

Answer 1

Electronic health record is an innovative advancement in healthcare setting. A more impeccable flow of information within a digital health care framework. EHR decreases the incidence of medical error by improving the accuracy and clarity of medical records. Making the health information available, reducing duplication of tests, reducing delays in treatment, and patients well informed to take better decisions. The data, and the timeliness and availability of it will enable providers to make better decisions and provide better care.

A disadvantage of this technology is the need to transfer old patients file which needs a lot of time and effort, if the old data is not availabe then it may affect the patient care given by the health care provider. Understanding how the system work and encoding reduces the time that the doctor or nurses give to its patient instead of focusing on the appropriate care they also need to give there attention on updating the system. If the hospital uses a different EHR system than your primary care physician, health records may not be available to the hospital. Electronic medical records may reduce office paperwork, but they may not coordinate care between several treating physicians, pharmacies, and allied health workers as they promise to do when different systems are used by each group. Some people are worried about the security of their medical records. Hackers may be able to penetrate EHRs despite security precautions, and they may then release confidential information to others. This has some patients worried about how safe and confidential their electronic medical records really are.

Meaningful use describe the minimum U.S. government standard for using EHR and for exchanging patient clinical data between healthcare providers, between health care provider and the insurance company and between the health care provider and the patients. Meaningful use determines whether the healthcare provider may or may not receive federal funds from the Medicare EHR Incentive program, The Medicaid EHR Incentive Program or both.