Pros/Cons of an Electronic Health Record
Pros and Cons of an Electronic Health Record.
Shequita Kelly
There are many pros and cons to an electronic health record. Today, paper is being used less and less. Now, medical records are often stored on computers or online. These records can be accessed by those with clearance and are on a common network. Paper records and files can easily be lost or destroyed, such as in a fire or flood. An electronic database safely keeps your medical records.
Nevertheless, according to HealthWorldNet.com, "handwritten records are subject to lots of human errors due to misspelling, illegibility and differing terminologies." Electronic health records eliminate handwriting and offer spellcheck and other tools of standardization. Another advantage of the electronic health record is that they are cost efficient, because they eliminate many expenses associated with printing, paper and other office supplies. In addition, the electronic health record can save lives. For instance, VeriChip, developed by VeriChip Corporation is the first one of its kind ever approved by the US FDA. It enables rapid identification of at-risk patients and access to their medical history, thereby enabling rapid diagnosis and treatment especially in emergency situations. Classic examples are people with diabetes and/or heart problems who have high risk of collapsing and having attacks. VeriChip is also useful in vehicular accidents and other trauma incidents where the victims aren 't capable of answering questions.
However, there are some cons to electronic health record. Many patients do not feel that their records are secure. With many computer hackers in the world, it is possible that health records could be compromised. Another disadvantage is loss of computer. Although medical records will be backed up, technical glitches or loss of power could occur during a doctor 's appointment. This can prevent the doctor from seeing your record. Moreover, EHRs can lead to loss of the human touch in
Shequita Kelly
There are many pros and cons to an electronic health record. Today, paper is being used less and less. Now, medical records are often stored on computers or online. These records can be accessed by those with clearance and are on a common network. Paper records and files can easily be lost or destroyed, such as in a fire or flood. An electronic database safely keeps your medical records.
Nevertheless, according to HealthWorldNet.com, "handwritten records are subject to lots of human errors due to misspelling, illegibility and differing terminologies." Electronic health records eliminate handwriting and offer spellcheck and other tools of standardization. Another advantage of the electronic health record is that they are cost efficient, because they eliminate many expenses associated with printing, paper and other office supplies. In addition, the electronic health record can save lives. For instance, VeriChip, developed by VeriChip Corporation is the first one of its kind ever approved by the US FDA. It enables rapid identification of at-risk patients and access to their medical history, thereby enabling rapid diagnosis and treatment especially in emergency situations. Classic examples are people with diabetes and/or heart problems who have high risk of collapsing and having attacks. VeriChip is also useful in vehicular accidents and other trauma incidents where the victims aren 't capable of answering questions.
However, there are some cons to electronic health record. Many patients do not feel that their records are secure. With many computer hackers in the world, it is possible that health records could be compromised. Another disadvantage is loss of computer. Although medical records will be backed up, technical glitches or loss of power could occur during a doctor 's appointment. This can prevent the doctor from seeing your record. Moreover, EHRs can lead to loss of the human touch in
Cited: Fig Gungor. (2011) Pros and Cons of Electronic Medical Records (One source Document management) Alyssa Pratt (2012) Pros & Cons of Electronic Medical Records (eHow) Katt Mollar (2009) Electronic Medical Records - The Pros and Cons (Ads by Google)