Switching to an electronic medical record (EMR) platform or choosing a new one can be daunting. There are pros and cons to every system, but a cutting-edge EMR system can drastically improve how you deliver care.
What Are Electronic Medical Records?
EMRs are electronic patient records used in one medical office/network. They contain vitals data, treatment records, notes about medication regimens—anything that would normally appear in paper charts.
The term “EMR” is often interchanged with “EHR” (electronic health record), but they are different. EHRs are typically interoperable, meaning they can work between multiple providers in different locations and networks. EMRs can work with EHR systems to share compliant patient information with authorized users. However, they often require extra software to become compatible.
Who Uses EMRs?
According to the CDC, around 88.2% of office-based physicians use an EMR/EHR system. That means that most providers in the U.S. are using electronic systems for patient information. Hospital and large-network providers may be more likely to utilize EHR programs, which could be due, in part, to the HITECH Act of 2009. HITECH incentivized using certified EHR technology (CEHRT) by imposing penalties on Medicare reimbursements.
Single-office, smaller-network, or individual providers may be more likely to choose EMR programs, especially if they don’t rely on Medicare reimbursements to stay profitable.
Pros and Cons of Using EMRs
Better Documentation
Digital patient charts are convenient and can improve treatment documentation. Doctors, nurses, and office staff can easily track medications, read legible patient notes, and quickly know when someone will need a follow-up appointment without having to backtrack through multiple pages of a chart.
But care teams can have difficulty adjusting to them, especially if they’re transitioning from paper charts or from a different EMR system.
- Technical challenges – Not everyone in healthcare is great at using tech. While EMR systems do hold the same core information, there are many different versions of them, and they’re not all user-friendly.
- New workflows – Adjusting to new workflows causes friction even among the most seasoned teams. Learning where information fields are, how many clicks it takes to save a profile, and when to work in charting during the day all pose challenges.
- Data migration – For practices using paper charts or another EMR system with incompatible file types, transitioning to a new EMR system can seem like a nightmare to approach.
Improved Treatment
EMRs can make patient information more standardized and complete than paper charts—and can integrate with EHR programs—which enhances the care patients receive. By having better and more information available during the course of treatment, providers are able to deliver tailored, effective care.
Sometimes, though, EMRs pose challenges and are perceived negatively.
- Interoperability issues with EHRs – Even though EMRs can provide great information to EHR programs, they sometimes have problems interoperating that require third-party solutions.
- Privacy concerns – Some patients worry about just how secure their health information is in a digital environment.
- Screen burnout – Given the immense amount of data that EMR systems can hold for each patient, burnout is a real concern for healthcare workers, who may focus on the screen more than their patients.
Enhanced Security
Secure EMR systems keep patient data safe, which is a great feature since the HITECH Act also ramped up fines for HIPAA violations. EMR programs can designate user roles that provide staff with the minimum necessary information they need, authenticate users via PINs or biometrics, and provide cloud-based hosting to minimize the chance of a data breach.
However, there are still some concerns about EMR security.
- Cyberattacks – Hackers and other bad actors recognize the sensitivity and value of healthcare information and often make providers the targets of cyberattacks.
- Training and investment – Secure EMR systems will require an investment and additional training for different user roles, including checking for data integrity and safely deleting information.
Elevate Your EMR Management with Sunwave
Your team will love how intuitive Sunwave Health is. Our streamlined interface simplifies everything from care plans to medication management. Fewer clicks and smoother navigation make everything seamless. It’s not just quicker—it’s smarter, giving your staff more time to focus on what really matters: patient care.
Plus, every module of our platform—EMR, CRM, RCM, and telehealth—is designed with HIPAA compliance at its core, hosted securely in the cloud, ensuring your data is protected every step of the way. Schedule a demo online or call 561.576.6037 today.
