What Is the Connection between EHR and Healthcare?

The connection between EHR and healthcare is that an EHR is a form of patient record keeping. An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s record that the doctor or hospital would normally keep in a paper file. EHRs are part of an electronic program that is installed on the computer systems in the doctor’s office or hospital. Patient information, whether by doctors, nurses or other administrators is entered directly into the electronic health record of the patient rather than recording the notes in the paper file. This means that the computer with the program on it is in each patient room. EHR and healthcare make the connection between the patients' records and the healthcare that professionals are providing.

One of the benefits of using the electronic health record system is that it pre-populates information as the electronic record moves from one healthcare professional to another. For example, the nurse practitioner may meet with the patient and while talking to the patient, enter information into the forms that this professional is responsible for handling. When the doctor comes in to meet with the patient and pulls up the form he needs to make his own notes and assessments, any information the nurse practitioner has added to the EHR automatically populates. This means the doctor only needs to fill in any of the missing or necessary details.

As part of EHR and healthcare, the program can also work as a workflow system for healthcare professionals. A workflow system alerts the next healthcare professional that they have a task to take care of with the patient. For example, if a doctor in a hospital meets with the patient, fills his notes into the EHR, but wants to send the patient for X-rays, the EHR system will automatically send the patient file and alert the X-ray technician that the patient is coming when the doctor submits the information into the system.

One of the benefits of EHR and healthcare is that it reduces the amount of mistakes that are made as the patient’s file passes from one point to another. The second primary advantage is the efficiency the EHR system provides to the healthcare system, which shortens patient waiting time and allows healthcare professionals to use their time more efficiently. Third, EHR and healthcare help to give medical records clarity, which makes them easier to read and evaluate as it progresses from medical professional to medical professional.