Electronic Health Records

Electronic Health Records

Introduction

Electronic health records (EHR) are associated with users, in its various forms (magnetic cards, smart card chip, and barcodes). EHR has been used increasingly over the past 25 years as a way to increase the coverage and speed flow of patients within the health system that can avoid duplication of coverage and fraud associated with the payment of services that are not rendered and are unused drugs by patients. EHR is more properly a tool that increases access, transparency and control of resources in health services than an instrument to improve the quality of direct provision of services.

The utility of the EHR, therefore, is associated not only for its contribution to universal health care, but also to increase access and reduce the response time of services to patients' needs. HER also an essentiality means to increase transparency and efficiency sector. Insofar as the ERH allow a better understanding of the health conditions of patients and resources used in providing services, thus contributing to a better monitoring and evaluation and to combat fraud and corruption in the sector.

Although EHR are expensive, and often the strategies used in its implementation of it is at risk of not being successful. However, the EHR systems and other health information technology, provide resource for savings in the medium and long term to improve the efficiency of services, standardization of procedures and control and evaluation in the implementation of clinical guidelines; and generate better control mechanisms that minimize fraud in strategic purchasing of health services, basic materials, use of equipment and medicines. Permit, thereby also adequately control the use of health facilities, especially at the primary health care and secondary, and reduce errors in medication administration.

In some areas, such as emergency services, systems information technology dramatically improves the response time and save more lives, with an incremental cost of operating small compared to the social benefits generated.

Developed countries such as US have made significant investments in implementing EHR. An analysis of six OECD countries reveals that the annual per capita investment in EHR in 2005 were high, especially in countries with universal public systems like UK (U.S. $ 192.79), Canada (U.S. $ 31.85), Germany (U.S. $ 21.20) and Norway (U.S. $ 11.43). This large volume of investment is justified by the EHR functions that can develop.

As noted, the EHR serve multiple purposes, including from access to records by the users, which reduces information asymmetry, up welfare activities like support 24 hours assistance in shares of electronic scheduling services and routine care to the very patients, where health professionals (specifically those dealing with the patient) will have access to clinical information (patient history, examinations, case histories) that improve the quality of medical decisions taken. Moreover, the EHR also allows the production of de-identified aggregate data (anonymous) for improving aspects associated with collective actions such as improving health programs, increased efficiency in the management and control over social services and the advancement of research Epidemiological allowing organize priorities in care services (Amatayakul, ...