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The Advantages & Disadvantages of an EHR

According to Lori Gurley from the American Academy of Medical Administrators, medical records do more than just keep track of a patient's history. Health records are also used for financial and legal information for the patient and the caregiver, as well as for research and quality training within the health field. Because these records are so important, some health professionals have begun using electronic health records, or EHR. These electronic records come with a variety of advantages and disadvantages

  1. Advantage: Accessibility

    • Perhaps the strongest advantage of electronic health records over other forms of record keeping is the accessibility of these records. According to Potter Holden and Company, a health care insurance firm located in Georgia, it is easier to send electronic records from one doctor's office to another. This provides patients an easier time when they have to visit more than one specialist; they will not have to wait long for their records to be transferred. Gurley states that the information within the EHRs is accessible at nearly any electronic workstation where it could be needed, facilitating patient care in more than one location.

      According to Potter Holden, this accessibility can mean difference in effective care for patients. The company estimates that one in seven patients have been hospitalized unnecessarily when their medical records were not available for review. If stored electronically, records are often readily available for patients to access as well, leading to more informed patients who can readily understand their health care treatment.

    Disadvantage: Privacy

    • Potter Holden estimates that more than 150 different people may have access to a patient's EHR during hospitalization. While this increased accessibility can facilitate treatment, it also poses a privacy issue for patients. This excessive accessibility can potentially lead to sensitive information, such as contact and family information or billing details, being leaked among the hospital staff.

      Accessibility can also lead to altered records. Whether intentional or accidental, alterations to records can result in catastrophic mix-ups in diagnoses or medical treatment. With so many people able to access the information, there can be no guarantee that alterations will not be made.

    Other Advantages

    • Gurley highlights the storage capacity of EHRs as an advantage. These records can be stored without taking up physical space, which means that they are often kept for longer periods of time than hard copies.

      Potter Holden indicates that EHRs can help doctors beyond the surface treatment of patients. The company states that EHRs reduce the likelihood of errors, since there are no illegible handwriting styles or spelling mistakes to decipher.

      EHRs can also help doctors defend themselves in malpractice claims, since the patient's information is readily available and cannot be misinterpreted by bad handwriting or other errors.

    Other Disadvantages

    • Cost is one of the major drawbacks when discussing EHRs. Many doctors and hospitals cannot afford the system upgrades and training costs involved in implementing an EHR program.

      The fact that some medical facilities cannot implement EHRs can lead to other problems. According to Potter Holden, the ideal medical record system allows all health care providers to enter information to a single, central patient record. However, if some professionals cannot implement EHRs, or systems vary between facilities, information may be lost in the shuffle.

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