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Pros & Cons of Electronic Medical Documentation

As technology advances and computers become more powerful, reliable and easier to use, an ongoing debate exists as to how many tasks people should entrust to computers. Electronic medical records are one aspect of this debate. The speed and clarity of electronic records makes them convenient, but the fallibility and security vulnerabilities of computers give health care providers something to worry about.

  1. Pros - Error Minimization

    • Patients suffer drastic consequences when a chart is misread or misunderstood in a hospital. This happens due to paper charts being lost or switched accidentally and the illegible handwriting of a health-care professional in a hurry. Electronic records are accessible from a database that prevents lost records, and because the records are printed on the screen, legibility is never a problem. A strong point in favor of electronic records is the potential for increased levels of patient care.

    Cons - Privacy

    • The biggest fear among those against electronic medical documentation is the threat to privacy that it might pose. People worry about the decisions that might be made by employers, insurance companies or health-care providers if too much information is too freely available. The fear that the private information currently protected by privacy laws could, owing to the security weaknesses in any computer system, be exposed to those who should not have access to it is a constant concern as well.

    Pros - Speed

    • In a hospital, especially in emergent situations, decisions and actions need to be made as quickly as possible to provide patients with the required care. If a paper record is not present, or if there is any confusion about its contents, this speed is reduced. Electronic records allow doctors and nurses to instantly call up the exact information required from anywhere in the hospital within moments.

    Cons - Patient Reticience

    • One of the problems remaining with electronic records is that patients are not going to necessarily receive the new idea well. The worry about information sharing, not understanding the technology and security fears are all concerns that may make patients not want to have their information recorded electronically. One possible way to overcome this con is to give patients the option of the format they want their records kept in.

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