Pros and cons to electronic health records

The ability to offer reliable, relevant and accessible patient information to health professionals is a goal of the healthcare industry. Paper medical files have long been the standard, but electronic medical health records, or EHRs, may help to change the way patients' health information is shared.

Thanks to managed healthcare systems, people are switching doctors more so than in the past. Many patients switch doctors because of ever-changing health insurance plans. Perhaps a doctor is no longer part of an in-plan list, or the patient has been forced to switch insurance plans due to costs or changes made at work and the new plan is not accepted at a particular practice.

There are other reasons that patients choose to switch doctors, including problems with a particular practice, wait times to see a physician, lack of confidence in the doctor, a doctor's poor bedside manner, or feelings of being rushed. Patients are also increasingly turning to online reviews of medical doctors and asking for personal referrals so they can track down diligent physicians.

The trouble with frequently switching doctors or having to be referred to many different specialists is that individuals' entire medical records often do not make the move. It is often up to the patient to request existing medical records from past doctors and then hope they are sent over. EHRs may help change the way records are shared.

As with any new technology, there are different pros and cons to EHRs.

Advantages

One of the main advantages to EHRs is accessibility. It's much easier to send a digital file from one office to another rather than a large folder of paperwork. It also cuts down on the time required to transfer files.

Accuracy is another advantage. According to Peter Holden and Company, a healthcare insurance firm in Georgia, it is estimated that one in seven patients has been hospitalized unnecessarily when their medical records were not available for review. Doctors with access to electronic records are more readily aware of a patient's medical history and therefore more likely to make a more accurate diagnosis.

When stored electronically, medical records are also readily available to patients themselves. This helps men and women take a more active roll in their health. Far too often medical records are viewed as something for doctors' eyes only, and patients may feel uneasy about asking for copies of test results or notes for fear of upsetting their doctors. However, health records are also the property of the patient, and no one should feel uncomfortable about reviewing their information or requesting another opinion.

Other advantages to EHRs are they're more environmentally responsible and take up much less space than traditional files. EHRs can be stored on secured computer servers instead of crowding up doctors' offices or file rooms, making it easier to store them long-term.

Doctors may find that EHRs reduce errors, including misinterpretation of handwriting or missed information from condensing records. Some EHR systems are designed to assist with collecting and disseminating information to assist the medical professional in decision making. While it will not replace a doctor's knowledge, this service can be an asset in making diagnoses.

Disadvantages

One of the key disadvantages to EHRs is compromised privacy. Easier access to medical records, and by a growing number of people in the health field, potentially puts personal information in the hands of dishonest people. It's much easier for sensitive material to be leaked or altered to someone's advantage. With so many people capable of accessing the records, there may be no way to monitor how the information is accessed or if alterations are made to the data.

There's also no guarantee that medical information won't be hacked. Although records should be stored and uploaded through secured sites, inventive people are constantly finding ways around security systems.

Cost is a major disadvantage to EHRs. There are some healthcare offices that simply cannot afford to switch over their records system to something electronic. Furthermore, EHRs require a compatible system across the board. If one doctor is using Type A system and the other is using Type B system, there may be issues of incompatibility and errors.

EHR technology is still in its infancy, but many physicians are starting to convert to or investigate the possibility of going digital.