Question

What recommendations would you make to ensure that the electronic health record could successfully provide data capable of meeting public health’s requirements and needs? Support your response with at least 2 academic sources.

Answer 1

Following are some of the recommendations that can be made to ensure that the electronic health record (EHR) could successfully provide data capable of meeting public health’s requirements and needs-

1. EHR database access to the physicians from across the country - EHR database should have a strong network of physicians from across the country and should provide EHR database access to these physicians to upload reports and recommendations about their patients. This way all the information of a patient can be accessed by a physician when the patient moves from one place to the other of if he/she wants to switch the doctor.

2. EHR database should support team-based care- EHR database should be designed and configured to facilitate clinical staff toperform work as necessary and to the extent their licensure and privileges permit. It should also allow the physicians to allocate and delegate work to appropriate members of the care team as permitted by institutional policies.

3. EHR database should be designed to reduce cognitive workload- The database should be designed to have the ability to automatic rack referrals and consultations and should support medical-decision making by providing concise, context sensitive and real-time data.

4. Should have state-of-the art data protection capabilities- EHR databases should have the best possible data protection capability so as to stop misuse of patients' records and to protect patients' privacy.

Twoacademic sources are -

1. Lynda C Burton, Gerard F Anderson, and Irvin W Kues, "Using Electronic Health Records to Help Coordinate Care",Milbank Q. 2004 Sep; 82(3): 457–481.

2. Nancy M Lorenzi, Angelina Kouroubali, Don E Detmer, and Meryl Bloomrosen^{, "}How to successfully select and implement electronic health records (EHR) in small ambulatory practice settings", BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2009; 9: 15.

Thanks!