Three Benefits of Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Over the past few years, the implementation of electronic health records (EHR) into medical practices has increased significantly. These electronic medical records contain vital information about a specific patient- including their current medications, and personal medical history. These records were first introduced as part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009.

While the HITECH Act states that healthcare providers who demonstrate meaningful use of an EHR system may receive financial incentives for their compliance, there are numerous other benefits to implementing an EHR into your practice, including:

• Improved patient safety. EHRs do not just contain information- they compute information to improve patient care and prevent potentially serious medical outcomes. EHRs automatically check for any problems whenever a new medication is prescribed to a patient, and alerts the doctor to any potentially dangerous interactions the new medication may have with the patient's existing medication, as well as any allergies the patient has. Information collected by a primary care physician and entered into an EHR will also be useful to other doctors, such as those practicing emergency medicine. Information contained in an accredited EHR system reduces potentially serious medical errors, and improves chances of better medical outcomes.
• Diagnostic aid. EHR systems can help you diagnose or confirm a previous diagnosis against a list of possible complications based on the patient's electronic medical history.
• Improved patient satisfaction. Most medical practices report higher satisfaction levels among patients who have complete access to their medical records because of EHR implementation. By adding a patient portal to your website, your patients will have secure and convenient access to their medical records, and information on various health conditions, treatments, and procedures. This will help improve your overall communication with your patients.

Not sure where to begin? Let Dr. Leonardo Help!

You can learn how to quickly and easily add an EHR portal to your practice's website by clicking here. Dr. Leonardo, the exclusive website builder for the healthcare industry, provides you with the tools to seamlessly integrate your EHR portal into your practice's website.