More healthcare providers are ditching the traditional pen and clipboard, and are looking to electronic systems to house the records of their patients. Electronic medical records (EMR) offer healthcare professionals a quicker way of accessing and sharing patient information between offices and providers. Using EMR results in increased productivity by reducing the time needed to record a patient's medical information and allowing medical personnel to focus on patient care. The other benefits of using EMR include the following.
Better communication
Fast and accurate communication between medical departments is key to providing quality healthcare. From ambulance staff to emergency room doctors, a healthcare institution must have an effective means of communication, and this is where EMR comes in. EMR software enables frontline staff to quickly transfer a patient’s medical records to other departments in real-time. When the patient’s information is recorded in the system, other medical staff will no longer need to question his or her conditions again and can proceed to treat the patient in a timely manner.
Lower costs
Reducing operational costs is a must for hospitals operating on a tight budget, and cutting redundant expenses is therefore necessary. When it comes to paper records, a hospital could be using hundreds of thousands of sheets of paper each year. By implementing EMR, hospitals can reduce the labor behind recordkeeping and cut down on paper costs — in short, saving a large sum of money.
Scalable recordkeeping
Before EMR, hospitals needed to devote an entire room, if not more, for storing the paper records of patients. When a hospital grows, the number of patients increases along with it, and more space is required for physical data storage. EMR software provides a more efficient way of storing data on a virtualized platform compared to traditional paper records. The recordkeeping process is completely scalable, and it will not take up valuable space in the hospital as paper records do.
Efficient treatment
With the help of EMR, patient checkups take less time since doctors can quickly access a patient’s medical record and reference the information needed to schedule appointments. When turnaround time for the recording and prescription processes is reduced, a hospital can greatly improve its patient workflow. Moreover, if further consultation or testing is required, physicians in other locations can simultaneously view a patient’s medical record on their computers, and get the latest test results and recommendations from previous doctors. EMR enables healthcare providers to collaborate more efficiently with one another.
A hospital’s goal is to provide better patient care, and the benefits of EMR can help improve various medical processes, including quicker access to patient information, better collaboration between departments and healthcare providers, and improved patient workflow.
For more information on how to implement EMR software into your healthcare institution, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to help.
