Most hospitals back then had relied on written
patient records which they store for future references. Papers, however, are
susceptible to damage, and there’s the likelihood of loss of physical copies of
records, and the federal government has long before acknowledged the benefits
of electronic health records in reducing deaths caused by medical errors.
Initiatives to computerize health records have
begun as far back as 2004, when then President George W. Bush aimed to make
them accessible to Americans in the next ten years. This initiative has been
carried over to the present administration, and President Obama has also
underscored the importance of an electronic health record system in hospitals,
saying that it can cut waste and reduce the need for repeating expensive
medical tests.
Electronic health
records, a type of digital recordkeeping, is a form of Health Information
Technology, and the federal government has long since identified the creation
of a standardized record system for all patients as a priority. Unfortunately,
this had not yet seen the light of day, as hurdles such as the lack of
collaboration and the huge costs of implementation hinder it. Yet there are
other hospitals that have already computerized their health record systems.
Even the Affordable Care Act of 2012 has directed health service providers to
implement a rapid transition to an electronic health record system, which has a
huge potential in reducing errors and saving countless lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment