What Is The Economic Impact Of Electronic Healthcare

The Economic Impact of the Implementation of Electronic Health/Medical Records
Ronald Crealese: Research Paper 1
Texas A&M University: Commerce
BA 595 Applied Business Research
Dr. Jennifer L. Flanagan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract 3
Chapter 1- Introduction 4
Chapter 2- Review of Related Literature 6
References 10

Abstract
This paper assesses the different variables involved with the economics of the implementation of electronic health/medical records. These variables focus on physicians incentives or motives to adopt the EHR, provider and physician willingness to adopt or transition to the electronic methods, U.S Health and Human Services statistics, the cost of implementation verses
Some many be asking why has the application of this paperless system taken so long? To put it in perspective, in sports there can be no game if there are no players to play and not just some participating, but all must in order for the game to be played. One of the biggest obstacles the continuous EMR implementation faces is what healthcare considers it’s largest assets, the physicians and doctors. Physicians need a motive, something they may benefit from if they were to adopt such an advance and elaborate method of patient information management. “The ability to easily share electronic information with other care givers, an important component of chronic care management, is also a major motivation for physicians to adopt EHRs” (Medical Benefits, 2015). Other studies and surveys have shown that the capability to be able to electronically interchange clinical information with other physicians and providers alike (such as a referring doctor or a new primary care physician across the country) would be an extreme motive and reason to adopts the electronic health record methodology. According to the ONC for HIT, 36% of physician’s primary reasons for adopting the electronic health records were due to the electronic exchange abilities. This was a survey that was conducted after the HITECH implementation took into affect in 2009 verses 27% before the law was passed. The study goes on to explain that an even
Essentially the EHR is modifiable to the provider’s specifications and needs to their practice of specialty. With the method of implementation being implied, this very well goes hand in hand with training and education. The Oregon Health and Science University’s School of Medicine started its transition in the electronic medical record back in 2012. They laid out some important points and factors that physicians and clinicians must know how to perform and be informed about. “Once information is retrieved (via the electronic health record), clinicians must know how to critically appraise the information retrieved and decide, if warranted, to apply it to the patient or population. As with searching, the type of appraisal varies with the search engine used. With output from general search engines like Google, the trustworthiness of the information must be assessed (stresses the importance of patient information security). Clinicians must also know how to make optimal use of patient data and information. They must know how to use informatics to achieve the triple aim of better health, better care, and lower cost” (Hersh, W. R., Gorman, P. N., Biagioli, F. E., Mohan, V., Gold, J. A., & Mejicano, G. C. 2014). As the slow but steadily transition of healthcare moving electronically happens, the electronic medical record allows easier accessibility and exchange,