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It’s hard to imagine a modern clinic, say, in the USA or Israel, which doesn’t have access to patients’ electronic health records. Healthcare facilities that are just switching to this system have a choice: buy a ready-made solution or create their own from scratch. Medical software experts are talking about the differences between custom healthcare software and out-of-the-box products, what functions to consider when developing electronic health records, and how you can prepare your clinic for the transition to the new system.
Benefits of electronic health records
Electronic health records (EHRs) are a system for collecting, storing, managing, and transmitting medical information about patients. There is also a narrower term – electronic medical record (EMR), referring to a digital version of patients’ medical records. EHR functionality is wider – they can be integrated with apps of clinics and other facilities (laboratories, hospitals, etc.). Doctors from different medical institutions and even countries can provide more effective care for a patient if they have access to their EHR – a comprehensive source of information about this patient.
The EHR system is convenient and reliable:
- it is easier for patients to be served in clinics of any country where EHRs are applied,
- losing data is virtually impossible (there is a backup function),
- the information is easy to read (unlike handwritten versions),
- no need to waste time searching for data – it is available in a single system and divided into categories for the sake of convenience,
- patients receive reminders about scheduled visits to medical facilities,
- patients have access to medical conclusions, test results, prescriptions, and other information about treatment.
Clinics that have implemented the EHR system receive financial benefits as well – physicians spend less time seeing patients and manage to do more, and facilities don’t need specialists responsible for the security and delivery of paper files.
Drawbacks of ready-made EHRs
Despite the fact that EHRs have made the life of patients and clinicians easier, there are some nuances. Laws that oblige healthcare facilities to go digital have led to the hasty implementation of complex and confusing systems. According to a study by Yale University, physicians using EHRs are more likely to burn out emotionally because they had to master new programs and change their work habits. Around 5,000 doctors took part in the survey, and most of them rated the EHR system with an “F”.
Among the shortcomings of ready-made EHRs, respondents named complex design, long chains of actions need to be taken to enter information, system errors, etc. Why are ready-made EHRs not always convenient, safe, and secure?
- Long implementation process
Implementing a ready-made EHR into a clinic’s processes takes from six months to one year, after which the mastery of the program by employees and the adaptation period begin.
- System errors
Small failures in the system can lead to large-scale consequences that affect the reputation of companies. Such an incident happened six years ago to the EHR system made by eClinicalWorks. A doctor from Stowe Family Practice sent a patient suffering from migraines to have a brain scan. The scan was registered in the system and was supposed to go to the lab, but due to an error in the program, this didn’t happen. As a result, the patient didn’t receive treatment in time and died of an aneurysm, and eClinicalWork had to pay a multimillion-dollar fine.
- Complex design
Not all systems that were built several years ago meet today’s user preferences in terms of design, which makes them cumbersome. For example, clinicians who work with Epic – the most widespread system – report its incredible complexity due to its panel being overloaded with indicators and buttons.
On average, an American physician has 11 minutes to see one patient, including writing their medical report. Therefore, physicians often have to spend personal time completing electronic records.
- System overloads
Healthcare facilities have differently structured workflows. If a system doesn’t match the established processes of a clinic using it, confusion is likely to arise. For example, the system can be overloaded with non-priority notifications, which can cause important alert messages to be missed.
- Inability to be integrated with other systems
Standard solutions are not always compatible with apps of third-party medical centers and labs. When a patient changes their place of residence, it can be difficult to transfer their data to another clinic. A modern high-quality system must be able to easily handle such situations.
Clinics that plan to implement EHRs are choosing EHR software development from scratch more and more often. We will tell you what is needed to do so.
Preparing for custom EHR development
If you’ve decided to order the development of your own EHR system, we recommend you bear in mind the following aspects:
- Healthcare legislation
First of all, you have to account for the healthcare system peculiarities, existing laws, and certifications of your country. For example, American clinics are obliged to operate in accordance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Clinics of the EU countries are obliged to comply with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) to ensure the privacy and security of medical information.
- Convenience for mobile devices
Consider the compatibility of your system with mobile applications so that patients can make an appointment and access their information at any time.
- System certification and compliance with standards
Using any uncertified system is illegal. Checking whether your software complies with the standards is a mandatory step. To use the EHR system in America, it must be certified by ONC-ATCB, and in the EU countries, the software quality must be confirmed by EuroRec. Also, it is important to use the CCD, CCR, HL7, or CCA standards (depending on the country) when creating a system.
EHRs: must-have functions
When developing the EHR system, don’t forget about the following sections and functions:
- Patient profile
The first thing to consider when building an EHR system is a convenient and functional patient profile. There, the user should see their medical history, prescribed treatment, test data, etc.
- Electronic management of patient health records
A user-friendly interface will help doctors work with patient data more effectively. With the right approach to development, healthcare providers will be able to spend less time on organizational issues and pay more attention to patients.
- Prescription management
This feature will relieve patients from standing in line to buy medications. When using the EHR system, doctors prescribe drugs remotely. If the system is integrated with local pharmacies, prescriptions will be sent directly there.
- Access restriction
Healthcare professionals needn’t have equal access to patients’ personal information. For example, general information is enough for nursing staff, while attending physicians need to see the details. This feature will reduce the risk of data leakage.
- Integration with labs
Physicians need to be able to send tests to internal and external labs and receive results directly in the system. This will enable them to diagnose and start treatment faster.
- Instant messages
Patients will have the opportunity to consult doctors remotely – for example, to discuss issues or exchange images in the chat. This is, so to speak, a simplified format of TeleMedicine.
- Appointment fixing
A calendar will allow patients to schedule and manage clinic visits quickly and conveniently.
Conclusion
The features that need to be included in the EHR system vary from facility to facility. A healthcare software development company will help you document the system requirements and think through its design. Andersen’s experts know how to develop EHRs from scratch so that the product is convenient for both doctors and patients.
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