Going Paperless: Electronic Medical Records Versus Paper Medical Records "Is It Time to Make the Switch?"

Unit 9 Final Project
HS499-01
January 15, 2012
Professor Kristen Hathcock
Kaplan University

Going Paperless: Electronic Medical Records versus Paper Medical Records “Is it time to make the switch?”
Carletta Howard
Kaplan University

Abstract Making the switch to an electronic medical records system will help to bring forth health care advances with the systems data quality and availability. This research study uses focus groups and surveys to get the opinions of different health care providers and some patients on what they think EMR will do for the health care industry. Literature related to EMR was reviewed to get a better understanding of the benefits and barriers of electronic medical records. The study uses data from two health care facilities for 4 new patients in the traditional paper-based medical records system followed by the new electronic medical records system. Data entry times were recorded for both systems as well as the accuracy of delivery and transferring of information between facilities. The results show that the EMR system provides a faster data entry time than the paper-based method. Results also show that the transferring of information between facilities provides a safer and convenient way to treat patients. The results helped to develop a plan to implement EMR in our rising health care industry. Keywords: Electronic medical records, health care, data entry

Table of Contents 1. Introduction Page 5 2. Literature Review Page 7 3. Methodology Page 11 4. Data Analysis and Results Page 13 5. Implementation and Design Page 14 6. Ethics Page 15
References

Introduction
Background and Context
Electronic medical records are computerized legal clinical records created in care delivery organizations, such as hospitals and physician offices (Garet, 2005). Paper based recording is the most commonly used method of recording patient data. Physicians find it easier and

References: 1. Replace paper-based medical records which can be incomplete, fragmented (different parts in different locations), hard to read and sometimes hard to find (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 2 3. Require less space and administrative resources (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 4 5. Provide integrated support for a wide range of discrete care activities including decision support, monitoring, electronic prescribing, electronic referrals radiology, laboratory ordering and results display (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 6. Maintain a data and information trail that can be readily analyzed for medical audit, research and quality assurance, epidemiological monitoring, disease surveillance (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 1. Technical matters- uncertain quality, functionality, ease of use, lack of integration with other applications (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 2. Financial matters –particularly applicable to non-publicly funded health service systems (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 3. Resources issues, training and re-training; resistance by potential users; implied changes in working practices (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 4. Certification, security, ethical matters; privacy and confidentiality issues (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). 5 6. Incompatibility between systems (Electronic Medical Records, 2005). Cohen, D. a. (2006, July). Qualitative Research Guidelines Project. Retrieved November 27, 2011, from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: http://www.qualres.org/HomeFocu-3647.html Crosson, J Glasow, P. A. (2005, April). Fundamentals of Survey Research Methodology . Retrieved November 28, 2011, from Mitre Product: http://www.mitre.org/work/tech_papers/tech_papers_05/05_0638/05_0638.pdf Holbrook, A Kitzinger, J. (1995). Qualitative Research: Introducing focus groups. Retrieved November 27, 2011, from BMJ: http://www.bmj.com/content/311/7000/299.full Knitz, M McDonald, C. J. (1997). The Barriers to Electronic Medical Record Systems and How to Overcome Them. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association , 213-221. Smith, P. D. (2003, May). Implementing and EMR System: One Clinic 's Experience. Retrieved November 21, 2011, from AAFP: http://www.aafp.org/fpm/2003/0500/p37.html Sunjansky, W Walker, J., Pan, E., Johnson, D., Adler-Milstein, J., Bates, D. W., & Middleton, B. (2005). The Value of Health Care Information Exchange and Interoperability. Health Affairs . Wang, S. J. (2003). A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Electronic Medical Records in Primary Care. The American Journal of Medicine , 397-403. Wilson, D. (2005, May). Growth of Electronic Medical Records. Retrieved November 21, 2011, from Physicians News: http://www.physiciansnews.com/cover/505.html