Benefits of an EHR can be categorized as follows:
Potential Benefits of an EHR
Potential Productivity and Financial Improvement
- Fewer chart pulls
- Improved efficiency of handling telephone messages and medication refills
- Improved billing
- Reduced transcription costs
- Increased formulary compliance and clearer prescriptions leading to fewer pharmacy call backs
- Improved coding of visits
Additional potential benefits may include: population management and proactive patient reminders; improved reimbursement from payers due to EHR usage; and participation in pay-for-performance programs.
Quality of Care Improvement
- Easier preventive care leading to increased preventive care services
- Point-of-care decision support
- Rapid and remote access to patient information
- Easier chronic disease management
- Integration of evidence-based clinical guidelines
Job Satisfaction Improvement
- Fewer repetitive, tedious tasks
- Less "chart chasing"
- Improved intra-office communication
- Access to patient information while on-call or at the hospital
- Easier compliance with regulations
- Demonstrable high-quality care
Customer Satisfaction Improvement
- Quick access to their records
- Reduced turn-around time for telephone messages and medication refills
- A more efficient office leads to improved care access for patients
- Improved continuity of care (fewer visits without the chart)
- Improved delivery of patient education materials
EHR 101
Tutorial Content
Potential Benefits of an EHR
Homework
Related Reading
Data Collection Equals Quality Improvement