DNP 805 Topic 2 DQ 1
Discuss the usefulness of the electronic health record (EHR) and
its impact on patient safety and quality outcomes. Describe
strengths and limitations that might apply to its usage.
, During the last decade, healthcare has witnessed the
development and implementation of electronic health records
(EHRs). The initial theory was that EHRs would improve patient
safety and quality outcomes. Silverman (1998) stated that some
of the obvious advantages to an EHR would have included and
were not limited to the ease of access and immediate availability
of patient information, history, and treatment plans in routine or
emergency situations. He stated the potential to decrease
adverse outcomes such as missed diagnoses, unnecessary or
repeated treatments and procedures, international drug
interactions and contraindicated treatments. If all EHRs were
connected, one could also have a complete and up to date
medical record always immediately available to caregivers.
Reimbursement incentives to increase the use of EHRs were put
into place by the Health Information Technology for Economic and
Clinical Health Act in 2009. This Act allocated $27 billion of
reimbursement for the demonstration of the meaningful use of
EHRs. Clinical decision support rules that are specialty specific
were expected to be implemented in the EHR to guide
professional practice at the point of care with a purpose of
improving overall patient safety and quality outcomes (Moja et al,
2014).
The impact of the EHR on the mortality, morbidity and costs of
healthcare has been examined by several researchers throughout
the years. Moja et al. (2014), conducted a systematic review of
computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) that provided
guidance messages such as “diagnostic test ordering and
interpretation, treatment planning, therapy recommendations,
primary preventive care, therapeutic drug monitoring and dosing,
drug prescribing, or chronic disease management” to identify the
impact of CDSSs on patient safety and quality outcomes. The
researchers compared systems with CDSSs to those without
Discuss the usefulness of the electronic health record (EHR) and
its impact on patient safety and quality outcomes. Describe
strengths and limitations that might apply to its usage.
, During the last decade, healthcare has witnessed the
development and implementation of electronic health records
(EHRs). The initial theory was that EHRs would improve patient
safety and quality outcomes. Silverman (1998) stated that some
of the obvious advantages to an EHR would have included and
were not limited to the ease of access and immediate availability
of patient information, history, and treatment plans in routine or
emergency situations. He stated the potential to decrease
adverse outcomes such as missed diagnoses, unnecessary or
repeated treatments and procedures, international drug
interactions and contraindicated treatments. If all EHRs were
connected, one could also have a complete and up to date
medical record always immediately available to caregivers.
Reimbursement incentives to increase the use of EHRs were put
into place by the Health Information Technology for Economic and
Clinical Health Act in 2009. This Act allocated $27 billion of
reimbursement for the demonstration of the meaningful use of
EHRs. Clinical decision support rules that are specialty specific
were expected to be implemented in the EHR to guide
professional practice at the point of care with a purpose of
improving overall patient safety and quality outcomes (Moja et al,
2014).
The impact of the EHR on the mortality, morbidity and costs of
healthcare has been examined by several researchers throughout
the years. Moja et al. (2014), conducted a systematic review of
computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) that provided
guidance messages such as “diagnostic test ordering and
interpretation, treatment planning, therapy recommendations,
primary preventive care, therapeutic drug monitoring and dosing,
drug prescribing, or chronic disease management” to identify the
impact of CDSSs on patient safety and quality outcomes. The
researchers compared systems with CDSSs to those without
