Electronic Health Record (EHR)

With the advent of computer technology patient care records are being stored, filed away, in them more and more. At first these files were hard to organize, but over the years an integrated software program known as EHR, an electronic healthcare record, that does this quite well. However, not all EHR programs are equal.

With this in mind here are the points necessary to determine the perfect electronic health record system:

* Ease of use/intuitive control scheme

* Comprehensive listing of all patient records

* Solid networking capacity

* Error free programming

* High-end technical support

Any software program requires an easy to use technical scheme if it is to be successful. When it comes to electronic healthcare record systems this is not just a sought after requirement but a true necessity. If patient data is difficult to find or access then it may well cost everyone in terms of time, money, and patient health.

A scenario that could easily occur with a clunky or non-intuitive EHR system would be that patient records may become mixed up and a patient that is allergic to penicillin may end up receiving it because the information didn't get entered into the system properly and the staff that was in charge of administering the potentially damaging, or lethal, dosage had no idea they were endangering a patient's life.

Truly perfect electronic healthcare record software requires a truly comprehensive listing of patient records. There must be ample room for updates on a given file, along with methods for adding in x-rays, MRI scans, and other photographic testing items. Every possible tidbit of information for a patient must be easily referenced in the name of patient health.

Some EHR software programs have only generic boxes for comments and other information, while allowing a copy and paste program for adding in X-rays, and scans. The best electronic healthcare records systems will have detailed entry points for individual information, with the ability to link outside the record for quick reference.

Solid networking capacity is a vital component of any electronic health record system. Without proper networking capacity the doctor, nurse, hospital tech, etc., will be unable to readily compare notes on an individual patient care concern. They will have to spend time and effort looking outside the system for further information. While a doctor may be able to use a search engine like Google to look up information, it is far better to have a software program that directly links to the hospital medical database, as well as possible internet databases that are known to have proper information.

In the interest of maintaining patient, as well as system, health any EHR software must be bug-free and lacking in technical errors. This system is meant to save lives and aid in healthcare. If a favored videogame crashes someone may become frustrated. If the EHR program crashes repeatedly people may die, or end up with severe complications. The normal result from a crash, however, is loss of patient records and the necessity of restoring each file, possibly one at a time, from any hard copies that exist.

With this in mind, it is vital that any EHR program will have solid twenty-four hour technical support sponsored by the company that created it. No electronic healthcare record software is worth keeping on hand if the physician utilizing it cannot reach a contactee at the office it was created at in times of crash, or technical glitch.

Posted in: Software