Electronic Medical Records
Healthcare Management
BHA 3002
Management Action Plan
Prof. Kirk
March 06, 2013
Electronic Medical Records
When looking at Electronic Medical Records and how do we get our senior physicians to “buy in” for successful implementation of computer charting for the hospital there are several things to consider. First, most senior physicians are used to the paper patient charting system and are reluctant to convert to EMR because they feel it would take away from patient interaction and care. According to Griffith and White (2010) diagnostic excellence requires two kinds of knowledge which are rapid communication of patient’s current needs and an understanding of the clinically indicated responses. With this in mind EMR makes recording patient information faster and more complete, includes safeguards to improve accuracy, and it speeds up patient related information. In 2004 president George W. Bush, set an ambitious goal that by 2014 all citizens would have access to their electronic medical record. President Barack Obama reinforced that commitment with nearly twenty billion in stimulus money for hospitals who convert to electronic medical records and a rather recent legislation called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act further underlined the initiative to move towards the electronic medical record. This legislation is aimed at creating more funding and a network of incentives for healthcare professionals and physicians who are ready to adopt EMR and abide by the concept of “meaningful use” of electronic medical records. The opportunity for improvement is to optimize the documentation of patient encounters, improve communication of information to physicians, improving access to patient medical information, reduction of errors, optimizing billing and improving reimbursement for services, forming a data repository for research and quality improvement, and reduction of paper costs within the HCO. It is
BHA 3002
Management Action Plan
Prof. Kirk
March 06, 2013
Electronic Medical Records
When looking at Electronic Medical Records and how do we get our senior physicians to “buy in” for successful implementation of computer charting for the hospital there are several things to consider. First, most senior physicians are used to the paper patient charting system and are reluctant to convert to EMR because they feel it would take away from patient interaction and care. According to Griffith and White (2010) diagnostic excellence requires two kinds of knowledge which are rapid communication of patient’s current needs and an understanding of the clinically indicated responses. With this in mind EMR makes recording patient information faster and more complete, includes safeguards to improve accuracy, and it speeds up patient related information. In 2004 president George W. Bush, set an ambitious goal that by 2014 all citizens would have access to their electronic medical record. President Barack Obama reinforced that commitment with nearly twenty billion in stimulus money for hospitals who convert to electronic medical records and a rather recent legislation called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act further underlined the initiative to move towards the electronic medical record. This legislation is aimed at creating more funding and a network of incentives for healthcare professionals and physicians who are ready to adopt EMR and abide by the concept of “meaningful use” of electronic medical records. The opportunity for improvement is to optimize the documentation of patient encounters, improve communication of information to physicians, improving access to patient medical information, reduction of errors, optimizing billing and improving reimbursement for services, forming a data repository for research and quality improvement, and reduction of paper costs within the HCO. It is