• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Behavioral Health
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Patient Engagement
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
    • Social Determinants of Health
  • Digital Health
    • AI
    • Blockchain
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Life Sciences
  • Investments
  • M&A
  • Value-based Care
    • Accountable Care (ACOs)
    • Medicare Advantage

Do EHRs Make Patients Safer?

by Our Thought Leaders 07/17/2012 1 Comment

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

Written by Ahmed Mori, Content Writer for Care Cloud

There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not EHRs actually make patients safer. Sure, doctors using electronic health records boast fewer malpractice claims – Harvard Medical School reports that malpractice claims for physicians using EHRs tally in at one-sixth of the total of malpractice claims for physicians who haven’t yet implemented a system.

That’s fine and dandy, but what about your patients? Can you make them safer with your shiny new electronic health record system?

Accuracy
Both physicians and patients are becoming more aware of the benefits of having an electronic health record. Your patients have more access to their health information online, which gives you the luxury of having a second eye on the job.

Accuracy for your patients’ health data depends highly on positive attitudes, too. And when over62% of physicians have a positive perception of using electronic means to document patient care, you’re headed in the right direction.

Those same physicians are seeing the results through improved accuracy and better patient care. The Journal of General Internal Medicine published that primary care physicians report EHR use improves quality of care delivered to patients, including reducing medication errors, improved test follow-ups and better communication among providers.

Fewer Fatal Errors
Ever consider that one of the reasons why doctors with EHRs report fewer malpractice claims is because EHRs are just plain safer?

For one, if all health data for your patients is logged into a comprehensive EHR, you reduce the need to repeat risky tests and procedures.

Furthermore, a study by the Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas reports a 15 percent decrease in fatal hospitalizations and a 3 to 4% decrease in mortality rate for facilities using EHRs. In other words, using an EHR decreases your patients’ chances of accidental injury or death.

More Time on Patients
The average doctor spends eight hours a week on paperwork, amounting to over 336,000 yearly hours spent on healthcare administration in the United States.

Using an electronic health record cuts your weekly administrative duties to about 1.66 hours worth of clerical time, leaving you with about 6.5 additional hours dedicated to patient care. And considering that you spend approximately 30-60 minutes a year conversing with each patient, every minute counts.

Prescription Confusion
An electronic health record will offer a more comprehensive view of a patient’s health. This benefits your practice by giving you the information you need to evaluate a patient’s current condition in the context of his or her health and treatment history.

This comprehensiveness will help flag potential conflicts. For instance, some EHRs incorporate warning systems to let you know whether you’re ordering medication for a patient that may interfere with another part of his/her regimen.

Electronic health records are as good as the information they contain and the clinician operating them. They may not be a panacea for all healthcare errors and cannot guarantee effective treatment, but they’re definitely a step in the right direction.

Do you operate your EHR in ways that make your patients safer?

About Ahmed Mori:

Ahmed Mori joined CareCloud as a content writer specializing in Meaningful Use certification, EHRs and mHealth. He enjoys researching and reporting on innovative healthcare technologies. Read his work on PYP and the CareCloud blog.

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

Tagged With: Ahmed Mori, Care Cloud, Electronic Health Record, electronic medical record, healthcare technology

Tap Native

Get in-depth healthcare technology analysis and commentary delivered straight to your email weekly

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to HIT Consultant

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly.

Submit a Tip or Pitch

Featured Interview

Reach7 Diabetes Studios Founder Chun Yong on Reimagining Chronic Care with a Concierge Medical Model

Most-Read

Particle Health Addresses Integration to Epic Data Despite Dispute

US Court Allows Particle’s Antitrust Claims Against Epic to Proceed

Epic Launches Comet: A New AI Platform to Predict Patient Health Journeys

Epic Launches Comet: A New AI Platform to Predict Patient Health Journeys

Preparing for the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’: How Digitization Can Streamline Medicaid Eligibility & Social Care Delivery

Preparing for the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’: How Digitization Can Streamline Medicaid Eligibility & Social Care Delivery

Evernorth Health Services Invests $3.5B in Shields Health Solutions

Evernorth Health Services Invests $3.5B in Shields Health Solutions

KLAS Report: Oracle Health Faces Customer Losses and Declining Satisfaction

KLAS Report: Oracle Health Faces Customer Losses and Declining Satisfaction

Tempus AI Acquires Digital Pathology Leader Paige for $81.25M

M&A:Tempus AI Acquires Digital Pathology Leader Paige for $81.25M

Mira Launches Ultra4™, the First At-Home Hormone Monitor with Lab-Quality Insights

Femtech: Mira Launches Ultra4™, the First At-Home Hormone Monitor with Lab-Quality Insights

How Healthcare CIOs Can Solve the Unstructured Data Crisis and Reduce Storage Costs

How Healthcare CIOs Can Solve the Unstructured Data Crisis and Reduce Storage Costs

Healthcare C-Suite Acknowledges AI Potential but Lacks Trust

Sage Growth Partners Report: Healthcare C-Suite Acknowledges AI Potential but Lacks Trust

EVERSANA and Waltz Health Merge to Redefine Pharmaceutical Commercialization

EVERSANA and Waltz Health Merge to Redefine Pharmaceutical Commercialization

Secondary Sidebar

Footer

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Submit An Op-Ed
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Editorial Coverage

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Digital Health
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Blockchain Tech
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • Value-Based Care
    • Accountable Care
    • Medicare Advantage

Connect

Subscribe to HIT Consultant Media

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly

Copyright © 2025. HIT Consultant Media. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy |