Electronic Health Records, Research Paper Example

Introduction

In the current world health care is one of the most sort after need. The need for efficiency in terms of retrieval, entry of data and time spent to search for data is a pressing issue in most hospitals globally, but more so in the developing countries. We lose many patients not because we have incompetent doctors and nurses but because we have a poorly coordinated care systems. Researchers have evidence suggesting that the use of electronic health record information technology reduces the time spent by the nurses and doctors trying to retrieve a patience details. When evaluating an electronic health records some of the aspects to deem and that we are going to discuss in this paper, is cost, privacy, patient risk and ethics.

Cost is one of the most considered aspects when one is evaluating on the selection and implementation of an electronic health record. The cost to be discussed here is for maintaining the system, deploying the system and acquiring the system. The initial cost of acquiring an electronic health records is very expensive (Corley, 2003). The price of electronic health records, and provider uncertainty regarding the value and adoption of the system in the form of return on investment, has a significant influence on electronic health records adoption. An electronic health records will require quarterly if not monthly maintenance in order to reduce the risk of failure or crash during business hours is an expensive and yet a necessary activity. Such issues of repair, which cost a lot, are considered during evaluation and selection of an electronic health record. In overall electronic health records systems provide more benefits to an institution than disadvantages to both the patient and the economy (Corley, 2003).

Privacy is another factor more so in the global era where everything is run by computers and a world full of Hackers who invade on people’s privacy. How safe is a patient’s details like bank number, pin number, social security number and how do we secure a patients information? The common questions raised by decision makers in the hospitals ask themselves during evaluation and selection of an EHR system. When we talk about privacy we consider data security and confidentiality. This is a critical consideration in electronic health records development and use. Most patients remain concerned that the electronic storage of personal health information will make in inappropriate access to that information easier in that anybody can access their details at any time and tamper with them leading to an error during treatment. According to Lewis 2010, to curb this, the EHR must be configured in a way that gives access to only the authorized users of the system locking out any intruder who may have ill intentions.

Data communicated through the internet must be encrypted in that firewalls must be in place during sending and receiving of data. The use of electronic signature should be adopted in order to guarantee the source of the document (HIMSS Electronic Health Record Committee, 2003). Systems usually indicate a date and time to each entry and the identity of the user. This electronic signature cannot be retrieved unless the patient provides an authentication of the heath provider.

When it comes to ethics we look at data integrity and there are three ways: incorrect entry, data tampering and system failure. When we talk of incorrect data the data found on the electronic health records is only as precise as the person who entered them and the system that transferred them. The issue of ethics comes in where the person entering data can be trusted enough to enter correct information. This will curb the issue of errors in the institution. The administration should put measures that will ensure data entered cannot be modified from any different encounters.

Data correction is where an audit trail procedure permits the tracking of the staff who entered or modified data in the system. Allowing such follow up measures, blocks out any unethical plans intended to be committed by either staff or patient. The institution needs to put policies in place that will see corrections and updating of data, especially when an error has been discovered. The use of master file maintenance is an important activity to be considered during data integrity (Kierkegaard, 2011). Careful attention in the initial development of file such as documentation, queries among others. This will ensure that data is accurate and the information is valid. Timely reviews and validation of the master file is necessary and of the utmost importance. This activity should be done at least annually or quarterly depending on how busy the institution is.

In conclusion from the work done we get to see that having an electronic health records is important in a hospital especially those are very busy, it may come with its short coming but it’s an important asset which will help the institution save on time and lives as well as cutting down on avoidable errors.

References

Corley, ST. (2003). Electronic prescribing: a review of costs and benefits. Top Health Inf Manage, 24(1):29-38.

HIMSS Electronic Health Record Committee. (2003). HIMSS Electronic Health Record Definitional Model. Version 1.1

Kierkegaard, P. (2011). Electronic health record: Wiring Europe’s healthcare. Computer Law & Security Review, 27 (5):503-515

Kohn, LT., Corrigan, JM., Donaldson, M. & Torr, E. (2000). Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Lewis, N. (2010,December,13). EHR adoption croses50% threshold information week. Retrieved from <http//:www.informationweek.com/news/healthcare/EMR/showarticle.jhtml?articleID=228800286>