With all of our digital ways of storing data and information, the importance of improving patient safety is at an all-time high. Companies such a CompuGroup Medical emphasize this idea, continually working on ways to make patient data more secure and easy to manage.
The most visible way this is accomplished is through the advancements in our leading electronic health records, or EHR software. An EHR offers a real-time record that contains your patient’s entire medical history and can be made available in case of an emergency.
Electronic health records can revolutionize the way patient data is stored and managed. If implemented universally, hospitals and medical practices will no longer need to store enormous files and paper records for each patient; instead, the information can be made available in a few clicks, improving the safety of records by many folds. EHRs have many benefits; the list below shows how electronic health records can improve a patient’s safety.
Reminders and alerts improve patient safety
Your EHR system can be used to keep track of a patient's treatment. Alerts can be sent to the patient’s phone to remind them of their appointment. This can be beneficial for newborns and infants who require different vaccines over the years. Alerts can be sent to their parents, so they never miss out or forget their child’s vaccine.
Alerts can also be used when a patient has missed an appointment or if there is an error in their health records. By keeping patients on schedule and active in their care, your EHR helps improve both patient safety and overall health.
Easier diagnosis helps both doctor and patient
If a patient’s complete medical information is available to the doctor while deciding their diagnosis, it can make the process much more convenient and save both the doctor and the patient’s time.
With your EHR, you can also check the results of the patient’s recent tests such as blood tests or x-rays. This step saves the patient money as they no longer need to carry out multiple tests to satisfy different doctors.
Ease in prescribing medication for patient care
An EHR can help you know what treatments or medications your patient is already taking. This can help you prescribe medicines that do not react negatively when coming into contact with the previously prescribed medicine or treatment.
Your EHR can also help you see whether a patient has any drug allergies, and this also helps prescribe medicines that are safe for the patient.
An EHR makes emergencies less stressful
Emergencies can be filled with stress; if a patient is unconscious, their family and friends often spend hours to get their medical records from their primary caretaker.
In some emergencies, time is critical, and wasting it to get records can prove fatal for some patients. In such cases, having an electronic health record can prove to be very beneficial.
Using your EHR, you can easily get data from the patient’s primary health provider or family member within minutes. This ensures a patient's safety and simplifies your practice's workflow during an emergency.
Quicker treatments mean safer patients
Practices that use a leading EHR such as CGM APRIMA have reported that their treatment times are much faster. Good electronic records allow doctors to view a full picture of their patient’s health, which can help tailor the diagnosis and treatment plan according to the patient's specific needs. An EHR can also help doctors in renewing prescriptions and making appointments at a faster rate.
Improved decision making with help from your EHR
Having a complete record of a patient’s health information helps you and your staff make better decisions for the patient. For example, a patient undergoing chemotherapy will not be prescribed certain antibiotics and anti-fungal medication as these can severely damage the person’s health and can result in fatal conditions. Having a record of the patient’s health allows doctors to quickly make more informed choices regarding their medication.
Apps and ease of sharing data assist patient safety
Electronic health records make it possible for hospitals or health care providers to develop applications that allow their patients to view their health data very easily.
Mobile apps and portals make it easier for patients to share data with their loved ones and other doctors they visit. If a patient visits multiple doctors for various reasons, their treatment plans and medications can easily be shared with the other doctors as well. This helps you to have a holistic view of a person’s health. Uninformed decisions on the doctor’s part can be fatal for the patient. Informed decisions help improve patient safety.
Your EHR should be very beneficial for patient safety. An EHR helps the patients become part of their own care process instead of being a passive subject.
When it comes to finding the right EHR for your practice, consider a company like CompuGroup Medical. CGM has been helping practices like yours set up their electronic health records for more than 25 years.
Our leading EHR system allows patients to make their medical history easier to understand and aims to combine the latest technology and services to ensure patient safety. CGM APRIMA is easy to use and is a well-known and respected name in medicine and health due to our unique approach toward expert solutions and healthier patients.