Implementing Ehrs
Implementing Electronic Health Records (EHR) a Difficult Task
Ahsun Jaat
Student #: 211593118
Tutorial #3
TA: Vishaya Naidoo
Due Date: November 14th, 2012
Introduction
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are a system developed for doctors to document health records electronically as oppose to the old fashion way of writing everything down on paper and relying on memory to help patients with their medical problems (Ash 2004). Technology has now turned into need for almost every individual living in this world and has now made an impact on the manner doctors facilitate their work. Instead of writing prescript drugs and holding a document record of every patient’s medical history, this data can easily be stored into the computer so every doctor has access to it (Ash, 2004). Whether it is doctors, specialized doctors, nurses or any other individual who needs access to those records, the medical history is just a click away. Saving time and money is another crucial factor that the EHR ensures because the whole process would move to a more paper-less environment (Ash, 2004). Instead of doctors having to search for documented health records, they could now go onto the computer and electronically open up a patient’s health record in less than thirty seconds. In the long run, EHR will positively transform the health care sector but implementing this process will be a difficult challenge as many doctors do not want to change their traditional approach in the way they conduct their practises. For that reason, Canada should slow and steadily implement EHR’s in clinics and hospitals rather than having a fast approach.
The effect EHR’s have on Pharmacists and other Professions
EHR’s eliminate a lot of problems pharmacists face such as making prescriptions easier to read. Pharmacists have difficulty in reading prescriptions due to the lack of eligible penmanship that doctors have (Drake, Teague, Gersing, 2005). Pharmacists are in some cases sending patients back to their
Ahsun Jaat
Student #: 211593118
Tutorial #3
TA: Vishaya Naidoo
Due Date: November 14th, 2012
Introduction
Electronic Health Records (EHR) are a system developed for doctors to document health records electronically as oppose to the old fashion way of writing everything down on paper and relying on memory to help patients with their medical problems (Ash 2004). Technology has now turned into need for almost every individual living in this world and has now made an impact on the manner doctors facilitate their work. Instead of writing prescript drugs and holding a document record of every patient’s medical history, this data can easily be stored into the computer so every doctor has access to it (Ash, 2004). Whether it is doctors, specialized doctors, nurses or any other individual who needs access to those records, the medical history is just a click away. Saving time and money is another crucial factor that the EHR ensures because the whole process would move to a more paper-less environment (Ash, 2004). Instead of doctors having to search for documented health records, they could now go onto the computer and electronically open up a patient’s health record in less than thirty seconds. In the long run, EHR will positively transform the health care sector but implementing this process will be a difficult challenge as many doctors do not want to change their traditional approach in the way they conduct their practises. For that reason, Canada should slow and steadily implement EHR’s in clinics and hospitals rather than having a fast approach.
The effect EHR’s have on Pharmacists and other Professions
EHR’s eliminate a lot of problems pharmacists face such as making prescriptions easier to read. Pharmacists have difficulty in reading prescriptions due to the lack of eligible penmanship that doctors have (Drake, Teague, Gersing, 2005). Pharmacists are in some cases sending patients back to their
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