ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD EMPOWERING PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
Slide 2
This is a continuous electronic record of patients personal
health information created by healthcare workers when a patient
visits any healthcare setting. Here it contains patients personal
health information such as demographics, progress notes, health
problems, and medications, vital signs, past medical history,
immunizations, laboratory data and radiology reports. The EHR
programs and streamlines the health workers job processes. The EHR
can create a complete record of a patients visit to a healthcare
facility. Whilst providing the necessary health information to
facilitate multidisciplinary care using evidenced based practice
models (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society,
2013). This system can empower patients and families through the
joint use of a Personal Health Record (PHR). This is an application
that persons utilize to obtain, oversee and share their personal
health information and other persons when they are authorized to do
so via a private and protected portal ( Markle Foundation, 2003
).
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ADVANTAGES: Reduce medical errors Increase the quality of care
provided to patients Bring down health care costs DISADVANTAGES
Startup costs, which can be excessive Inequalities in computer
literacy amongst users Confidentiality and security issues
Placement of hardware Decisions regarding the portability of the
equipment Lack of a common vision for and definition of the EHR
Deficiency of uniform terminology, system architecture, and
indexing ADVANTAGES: Reduce medical errors Increase the quality of
care provided to patients Bring down health care costs
DISADVANTAGES Startup costs, which can be excessive Inequalities in
computer literacy amongst users Confidentiality and security issues
Placement of hardware Decisions regarding the portability of the
equipment Lack of a common vision for and definition of the EHR
Deficiency of uniform terminology, system architecture, and
indexing
Slide 5
During emergencies patients can provide pertinent information
to emergency personnel, for example, illness health history,
medications being taken, allergies, family contact information.
Between doctors visits the patient is able to direct their care, it
allows you to do the following: Monitor and evaluate ones
wellbeing. Take charge of your health by measuring your health
changes and recording. For example test results, observations with
certain treatments. Maximize doctor visits. Be prepared with
queries or questions on any aspect of your health and noted changes
like improvements/ worsening state from last visit. Manage your
health between visits. Retrieve information from your home
monitoring devices, for example blood sugar readings, blood
pressure readings and especially reminding yourself of instructions
given by the doctor from last visit. Become structured. Monitor
schedules and treatments. (Mayo Clinic, 2011) During emergencies
patients can provide pertinent information to emergency personnel,
for example, illness health history, medications being taken,
allergies, family contact information. Between doctors visits the
patient is able to direct their care, it allows you to do the
following: Monitor and evaluate ones wellbeing. Take charge of your
health by measuring your health changes and recording. For example
test results, observations with certain treatments. Maximize doctor
visits. Be prepared with queries or questions on any aspect of your
health and noted changes like improvements/ worsening state from
last visit. Manage your health between visits. Retrieve information
from your home monitoring devices, for example blood sugar
readings, blood pressure readings and especially reminding yourself
of instructions given by the doctor from last visit. Become
structured. Monitor schedules and treatments. (Mayo Clinic,
2011)
Slide 6
Compiling this takes time, as all your health history or
records must be entered into this system. The information must be
kept current after every doctors visit, receiving a doctors
prescription and visit to a healthcare facility. You may think
there should be an easier way to maintain this system but providers
like doctors, hospital, pharmacies and insurance companies have
been slow to implement information technology. Those who are able
to send information electronically to your PHR are limited. All
information sent to your records from different providers like
doctors must be reviewed by you, this whole process is in its
developmental stages, but have proven to be very beneficial to
patients as it empowers them to manage their health status. There
are areas that the patient should focus on before starting this
recording system. When making health choices it is advised to do
some research, in assessing your options consider these questions:
Is the system easy for me to use? Can I enter all the information I
want to track? How will my information be kept private? Will
information be added to my record from outside sources, such as
insurance or doctors' offices? How and what will be added? (Mayo
Clinic,2011)
Slide 7
Can I correct or delete information in my record? Can I share
information with my doctor and other caregivers? Can I upload data
from home-monitoring devices, such as a peak flow meter or blood
pressure cuff? What will it cost? Are there any special fees? Will
it help me manage my health by providing information and advice?
Can I create an account for my whole family and manage information
for my family members? Some issues are : Privacy and security of
information Widespread adoption and use of PHRs will not occur
unless they provide perceptible value to users, Are easy to learn
and easy to use, and Have associated costs (both financial and
effort) that are easily justified related to the PHR's perceived
value. Data must be clearly separated so providers can easily
review information (Mayo Clinic,2011).
Slide 8
Connecting for Health. (2003) The personal health working group
final report. Markle Foundation. Retrieved March 16,2013 from
http://www.himss.org/library/ehr/?navItemNumber=13261
http://www.himss.org/library/ehr/?navItemNumber=13261 Retrieved
March 16,2013 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personal-
health-record/MY00665http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personal-
health-record/MY00665 Retrieved March 16,2013 from
http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/patient/despite-flaws-personal-
health-records-ar/232900330
http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/patient/despite-flaws-personal-
health-records-ar/232900330 Tang, P., Ash, J., Bates,D.,
Overhage,J., Sands,D. (2006). Personal Health Records: Definitions,
Benefits, and Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Adoption.
Journal of American Medical Informatics Association. 13(2): 121126.
doi: 10.1197/jamia.M2025
