Posts Tagged ‘electronic health records’

The benefits of using browser based EMR software

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Before we begin with the advantages that browser or web based EMR software can provide, it’s important that we compare it with its alternative, the client server based EMR system. The basic difference between the two is that client based electronic medical record system is hosted at the provider’s site while browser based systems are hosted on the Internet by a third party. To be fair both systems have their pros and cons, here we will try to look into them in some detail to form an idea about which system would serve as the ideal solution in your case.

If you opt for a client based records system you will have more control over your medical records and would not have to rely on an internet connection for accessing them. The problem with these systems is that they can be significantly more expensive compared to a web based system. In fact right at the establishment you would require paying for the server and requisite software. Once you have got them established and running, you will need to spend regularly on maintenance. If you are someone who travels frequently or works from different locations, you would need to always make sure that you are carrying the required data as you won’t be able access them from a remote location.

A web based EMR system offers significant benefits over a client based one. First of all it is significantly cheaper compared to client based medical records system. The costs are uniformly low whether you consider the setup or maintenance. This is because this system does not require investing into expensive hardware or software. The maintenance is the responsibility of the hosting vendor and is carried out by trained IT professionals. Moreover when you use a web based medical records system, all your medical data gets backed up online and you will be able to access them from any spot across the world with the only requirement being an internet connection. You do not have to worry about the security and privacy of your medical records as the hosting vendors take all the necessary security measures. However no system is full proof and a web based EMR system has its flaws, since it relies on an Internet connection to provide service, if you are at a place where there is no internet connection you will not be able to access your records.

Do check out GHT, which specializes in developing custom software for the healthcare industry for optimum solutions to your EMR needs.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Healthcare Information Systems | No Comments »

Healthcare Information Exchange

Tuesday, February 8th, 2011

Why it’s Important and How the Government is promoting it?

Health information exchange describes the process of mobilizing healthcare information through electronic means across various concerned organizations within a given hospital system, community or region. This process involves moving clinical information through different health care information systems while ensuring that the integrity and meaning of the information is maintained exactly as it was in its original state. The smooth and seamless exchange of clinical data and information is critical for delivering high quality healthcare. Thus it also plays a major role in determining the effectiveness of healthcare organizations.

Although the advantages of efficient sharing of health care information among concerned parties, including patients and physicians and other authorized members are understood and desired by most people who are involved in healthcare system, very few organizations have actually gone ahead and taken full advantage of the technological progress made in the area of health informatics and computer science. Healthcare information exchange involves various technology based systems like interoperability, business information systems, standards utilization, and harmonization. All of these need to be established on local, state and national level to provide a seamless network of healthcare information.

According to David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, if a standardized system of electronic health records can be put into widespread use it can lead to highly improved levels of efficiency and patient safety, and significantly better health care quality.

An efficient health care information system has got several benefits to offer to all parties involved in the field of healthcare whether they are service providers or consumers. It allows healthcare professionals to conveniently access and retrieves relevant and complete medical data which helps them in providing patient-centered care that is more efficient, effective and timely. A well established health information exchange system would also provide public health officials with a ready and in-depth database of public information which they can reliably use in analyzing health of the population.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Healthcare Information Systems | No Comments »

The way to cost-effective EMR’s

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

Electronic Medical Records have frequently been in news over the past few months. They have been widely discussed by most people connected with the healthcare industry and most people agree that EMR’s can bring out significant and positive changes in the field of healthcare. Even the US government has its attention behind the implementation of electronic health records system. However all this has not led healthcare providers to adopt the technology on a wide scale. Even those providers who have forged ahead and begun using the technology have been using them at very basic levels. Thus they are not being able to exploit the maximum potential that the technology can offer. The result is even after investing in electronic medical records technology these providers are missing out on substantial operational and financial benefits.

This unfortunate scenario is a result of some popular misconceptions about EMR’s which are driving away potential users. There have been some reports in recent times which have concluded that the savings and operational efficiencies promised by the adoption of electronic health records might be more hype than reality and that in certain cases it has actually led to increasing administrative costs. However, the truth is that these are very short-sighted conclusions which have not taken into account the long term advantages of adopting electronic health records system.

The truth is that an electronic medical records system takes some time and effort to start showing real benefits. One needs to adopt a meticulously planned approach in the adoption of EMR technology even when there is consistent vendor support. The problem with many long term health care providers is that they have absolutely no idea on how to go about the process and quite frequently they rush into implementing the system which leads to failure and disappointment. It is vital to setup a realistic timeline for implementation. Moreover one need not invest in a full services solution right away as it is not only expensive but also puts extreme burden on the proper training of staff.

One should go about the process of implementing the EMR system gradually, vendor education and support is very important in this scenario.  After the basic implementation process is satisfactorily complete one can move on to the next stage of development. Care providers who take the slow and steady path in implementing EMR will be the ones who will emerge as beneficiaries in the long run.

If you are looking for cost-effective EMR solutions look no further than GHT which has extensive experience in developing custom healthcare software.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Healthcare Information Systems | No Comments »