Health care discussion | Nursing homework help
The hesitation of some healthcare professionals to adopt EHRs is likely due to a combination of factors. Some physicians may be concerned about the upfront costs associated with switching their practice over to electronic records, while others may worry that they lack the technical skills necessary to use and maintain an EHR system. Additionally, many healthcare professionals fear that implementing an EHR would require too much time away from patient care or increase their administrative workload. Furthermore, there are some who feel that having digital patient files could erode the doctor-patient relationship as personal notes become part of a standard record.
To overcome this apprehension about transitioning to EHRs, health organizations should ensure clear communication between administrators and physicians throughout the process by providing training on how to use the new technology. Additionally, it is important for healthcare organizations to emphasize the potential long-term cost savings gained from using automated systems rather than paper-based records. Organizations can also offer incentives such as bonuses or other rewards for physicians who get up and running quickly with EHRs.
The costs associated with implementing an Electronic Health Record system vary depending on whether an organization opts for in-house hosting or outsources its IT infrastructure needs. Upfront costs typically include software licenses fees, hardware fees, maintenance fees and any additional consulting services needed at implementation. The cost of not implementing electronic health records includes higher operational costs incurred through manual data entry and storage methods (i.e., paper-based filing), along with decreased efficiency resulting from longer wait times due to slower processing speeds associated with manual data handling processes like scheduling appointments and reconciling prescription orders/refills.