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Difficulties in building electronic medical record systems

In the year 2010 and even today, 80% of the independent physicians and 90% of the hospitals rely on paper record keeping.

In 2003, there were only 5% of the US medical facilities that used the EMR systems which indicates the tough implementation of EMR system (Bates et al, 2003).

Specific Factors:

Management Factor:

At management level, it is important for physicians, hospitals and insurers for meeting federal mandates for implementing the EMR or otherwise it is likely that they will face penalties. Townes et al. (2000) highlighted the importance of management in smooth implementation of EMR system. A leader with prime knowledge and the one who shows commitment to the overall system’s success is critical for successful implementation of EMR systems. Management plays an important role in acquiring funds by the federal government as high level of costs are associated with implementation of EMR. This includes the expenditure of overhauling recordkeeping systems and managing the rising short0twrm budgets.

According to Wager et al. (2000), a leader who is strong enough to make things happen, help people in overcoming their apprehensions regarding EMR system and one who can serve as an advocate, can lead to smooth implementation of EMR system while removing the barriers faced by the EMR system during implementation process. Glickman et al. (2015) also highlighted the role of leadership in EMR implementation by indicating that active involvement of senior administrative leadership can promote the quality improvement and smoothen out the implementation of EMR system.

Organizational Factor

Dansky et al. (1990) highlighted that the organizational support is a strong and positive predictor of the overall usefulness of the EMR systems. However, smaller health care providers find it difficult to afford the costs and time associated with upgradation of its recordkeeping system. The data quality issues, patient privacy concerns and resistance from the health care workers are some of the major barriers faced by the organizations while implementation of EMR system. Firm institutional commitment and core leadership programs can help in removing the barriers in adoption of EMR system. According to Townes et al. (2000), leadership commitment communication can lead to successful implementation of the EMR system.

Technology Factor

Technological factors can also slow down or act as barriers in EMR implementation. According to Laudon and Laudon (2011), system compatibility and sharing of information amongst the hospitals and different medical facilities appear to be a technological barrier in smooth implementation of EMR. Many of the medical facilities try to satisfy the criteria for reporting the medical information to the government agencies, however these medical facilities might request data in different formats from each other which poses a threat of unequal and inconsistent software practices followed by different practitioners (Laudon and Laudon, 2011). Hence, it can be said that the major technological threats faced in EMR implementation include the compatibility that might jeopardize the goal of a national system where all the healthcare providers can share information without any hurdles.

 

 

The greatest challenge of designing and implementation of electronic medical record system

In order to build an effective, nation-wide EMR system, the system analysis stage is considered to be the most difficult and crucial one. It is extremely challenging to develop a system that use the blanket information that can be used and accessed by all the small, medium and big health providers. A uniform medical record keeping system will also require many of the health care practitioners to adjust their business processes in order to streamline their record with new systems.

There are high chances of EMR system failure as it would require readjustment of large number of users that would increase the time and costs associated with systems training. The overall conversion process will also be difficult because the hospitals and medical practices are prone to change over to new system at various times. Moreover, such large number of readjustments will also indicate changes in management, training and refinement of existing organizational procedures that are associated with the new system.

3. Business and social benefits of digitizing medical records

An effective and prime version of EMR will be the one with centralized database management system that can connect all the healthcare providers across the country through a streamlined sharing environment. An effective EMR can provide many business and social benefits that are further discussed below:

Business Benefits

An EMR system is the one that contains all the patient’s vital medical history, medical data, test results, personal information, diagnosis, treatments, prescriptions, medications and effects of the treatments. By opting EMR system, physicians will be able to access the vital data of their patient from the existing database without having any need to pore through the paper files. Moreover, with instant availability of data and medications, the practitioners will be able to immediately perform tests. Many experts also believe that the electronic record keeping can reduce the medical errors while improving care services. Moreover, by keeping records online, dramatic savings can be achieved in terms of both time and cost. Electronic systems can also allow the practitioners to see the real-time claims adjudication (like the one seen while using a credit card).

Social Benefits

The social benefits also flow by implementing the EMR system as it will improve the quality and thoroughness of the medical care provided to the patients. By implementing the EMR systems and in-home monitoring process, the medical care services provision can be improved and lives of several patients can be saved by providing healthcare services at right time. EMR system will ensure that the patients get necessary periodic treatments at right time to avoid any mishap.

4. Diagram the “As-Is” and “To-Be Process” for ordering a pathology test

To-Be Process Diagram

 

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References

Dansky, K. H., Gamm, L. D., Vasey, J. J., & Barsukiewicz, C. K. (1999). Electronic Medical Records: Are Physicians Ready? Journal of Healthcare Management, 44(6), 440-455.

Glickman, S. W., Baggett, K. A., Krubert, C. G., Peterson, E. D., & Schulman, K. A. (2015). Promoting quality: the health-care organization from a management perspective. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 19(6), 341-348.

Townes Jr, P. G., Benson, D. S., Johnston, P., & Vaughn, C. (2000). Making EMRs really work: the southeast health center experience. The Journal of ambulatory care management, 23(2), 43-52.

Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., White, A. W., Ward, D. M., & Ornstein, S. M. (2000). Impact of an electronic medical record system on community-based primary care practices. The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 13(5), 338-348.