EMR/EHR

Electronic medical records (EMR) are a digital version of a patient’s chart that store their personal information, medical history and links to prior exams, texts and reports. The goal of these systems is to enable immediate access to the patient's data electronically, rather than needing to request paper file folders that might be stored in fragment files at numerous locations where a patient is seen or treated. EMRs (also called electronic health records, or EHR) improve clinician and health system efficiency by making all this data immediately available. This helps reduce repeat tests, repeat prescriptions and repeat imaging exams because reports, imaging or other patient data is not not immediately available. 

25% of organizations fully adhere to ONC's SAFER guidelines for EHRs

Healthcare organizations’ adherence to the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience (SAFER) guidelines is low, according to a study published April 26 in the Journal of Information in Health and Biomedicine.

Thumbnail

VA launches system providing patients with medical images

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a new online system providing patients with access to medical images and study reports.

Thumbnail

Elderly physician leaves Amita Health after refusing to learn new EMR system

Jeffrey Johnson, MD, a 75- year-old physician, and Amita Health St. Alexius Medical Center have parted ways after Johnson refused to take educational courses on the hospital's new electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Thumbnail

50% of physicians are satisfied with access to patient information

Only 50 percent of physicians are very or extremely satisfied with their access to patient information, according to a survey conducted by Surescripts.

Thumbnail

Quality improvement program reduces EHR alerts, saves clinicians 1.5 hours a week

A quality improvement program designed to reduce low-value electronic health record (EHR) notifications led to a 1.5-hour reduction in work for primary care physicians, according to a study published in BMJ Quality & Safety.

Implementation of EHR not linked to outcomes for heart failure patients

A hospital’s degree of electronic health record (EHR) implementation was not associated with improved outcomes in heart failure patients, according to a study published March 30 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Thumbnail

Improving EHRs to reduce burnout

Although electronic health records (EHRs) were designed to improve care and streamline data sharing, rates of burnout have increased as EHR-related tasks produced are placed on physicians' shoulders. An article by Harvard Business Journal examines which improvement to EHRs could have the biggest impact in reducing burnout.

Thumbnail

Inappropriately overriding EHR alerts leads to a 6-fold increase in adverse drug events

Inappropriately overriding clinical decision support (CDS) in electronic health records (EHRs) was linked to a six-fold increase in adverse drug events (ADEs), according to a study published Feb. 9 in BMJ Quality and Safety.