Article Orange » Medicine

Electronic Medical Records Key to Future Global Healthcare IT Market

Jason.Smith — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:14:15 +0000

Global Markets Direct, a source for leading research and analysis, is releasing the report The Future of the Healthcare IT Market to 2015 – Healthcare Reform in the US to Boost Growth, which provides key data, information, and analysis on the global Healthcare IT market. The report estimates that the global market for Healthcare IT market was valued at around $11 billion in 2008, and is forecast to exceed $24 billion by 2015, with a CAGR of 11%. It is expected that the market will be driven by governments’ financial incentives, regulations requiring automation in healthcare practices, and the increasing need for hospitals to attain cost efficiencies through EMR adoption. There is also growing evidence that the use of IT and electronic medical records in healthcare practices will be able to provide fuel for the future of the market.

The United States is the key economy for driving growth in the global Healthcare IT market, contributing 37% in 2008. It is expected that the United States’ global contribution will increase to 48% by 2015. Over the next seven years, the United States’ Healthcare IT market is expected to grow at double digit rates, exceeding $10 billion by 2015.

The US market recently received a boost from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which allocates a $20 billion investment in Healthcare IT. Also, Medicare and Medicaid are expected to reimburse a percentage of the $20 billion in order to assist physicians and hospital facilities implementing in electronic medical records. Hospitals and practices that are eligible for incentives under the ARRA Act of 2009 must meet specific requirements of “meaningful use” by 2011 in order to receive the maximum payment.

Electronic health records are a key driver in growth within the global Healthcare IT market, contributing 31% towards the global market in 2008. This contribution is expected to increase to 37% by 2015. The global electronic health records market is forecast to exceed $9 billion by 2015. Government incentives are expected to motivate physicians and hospitals to adopt electronic medical records, along with the cost efficiency benefits that they offer. EHRs improve cash flow by speeding up reimbursement claims, r attain cost efficiencies through EMR adoption. There is also growing evidence that the use educing errors, and increasing clinical revenues.

Electronic health records will benefit our global Healthcare market, as well as the health of our nation. Widespread adoption is slowly occurring, but support and education is a necessary step for all involved. If you are searching for more information about electronic medical records and how they may improve the quality of health care for your practice, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic health record software provision. e-MDs Solution Series is CCHIT 2008 Certified in Ambulatory, Child Health and Cardiovascular, and is committed to meeting all emerging standards, privacy requirements, interoperability specifications and certification criteria referenced in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EHR/EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR/EMR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s health care environment.

Ethan Luke.Electronic Medical Records e-MDs powerful software can help manage your electronic medical records

EHR Adoption By Physicians Will Receive Assistance From Kerry Bill

Jason.Smith — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:13:41 +0000

Physicians who are adopting electronic health records (EHR) systems recently received the promise of help from government subsidies that will be paid out in increments over five years, beginning in 2011. The incentives are quite substantial, giving physicians who are eligible up to $44,000 from Medicare or $64,000 from Medicaid if they have enough Medicaid business. However, to receive the government subsidies, physicians must make a significant investment of their own money or borrow money through a loan.

Many physicians are having a difficult time getting loans from banks who are tightening their terms for borrowers since the credit crunch began. To make it easier for physicians to purchase EHR systems, Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) has proposed legislation that will allow small businesses to get loans backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). According to a press release issued by Sen. Kerry’s office, the money SBA provides to practices can be used for “computer hardware, software, and other technology that will assist in the use of electronic health records and prescriptions.”

The SBA uses a number of criteria for deciding which businesses are eligible for its support. One proWC: 486gram guarantees “special purpose loans” that will further or cushion the impact of government policies. For the businesses who are chosen, the SBA guarantees up to 85 percent of the principal on loans of up to $150,000 and 75 percent on loans of $150,000 or more in its principal loan program. The cap for SBA loans is $2 million. Interest rates will be negotiated between the lender and borrower, but are subject to the SBA maximums established.

If Sen. Kerry’s bill passes, it will provide further assistance to physicians who have been reluctant to adopt electronic health record systems for their practices due to financial barriers. Electronic health record systems will improve the workflow of modern health care facilities and help evolve their approach to medicine in regards to technological capabilities. However, education and implementation support will be necessary for all practices and facilities in order to assist the widespread health care adoption of electronic health record systems.

Electronic health record systems benefit our health care system and the health of our nation. Widespread adoption will happen, but support and education is a necessary step for all involved. If you are searching for more information about electronic health record systems and how they may improve the quality of health care for your practice, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision.

e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EHR/EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s health care environment.

Ethan Luke. EHR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EHR

Electronic Medical Records Help Improve Diabetic Health Care

Jason.Smith — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:13:16 +0000

The national health care debate is focused on giving more American citizens affordable access to doctors and hospitals. Yet the vast majority of health care decisions are made by individuals instead of health care providers, whether those decisions are about an exercise regime or the management of diabetes. The answer to improving the health of our nation while curbing costs is to help people make more educated decisions about their own health. An ideal solution would be to combine personal data with health information to deliver custom health plans to individuals. Using electronic health records to actively engage patients in their own care results may improve overall health, especially concerning a leading health issue in the U.S., diabetes.

An estimated 16 million Americans suffer from diabetes. It is also estimated that diabetes-related medical expenditures in the U.S. topped $116 billion in 2007. An improved health care system for diabetes patients may not only save money and time, but lives and limbs as well. A recent study by the Geisinger Health System and published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine did, in fact, show improvements for most diabetic patients when electronic medical records were used.

The use of electronic medical records to actively engage diabetic patients in their own care resulted in improved blood sugar and cholesterol levels, better vaccination compliance and increased tobacco cessation rates, according to the Geisinger study. The study conducted by Geisinger Health System launched the electronic medical record-driven program with its 20,000 diabetes patients. The study showed improvements for most patients in the following areas:

• Pneumonia vaccinations received among patients increased from 56 to 80 percent.

Microalbumin tests for possible kidney complications among patients increased from 57 to 87 percent.

• Optimal cholesterol levels among patients increased from 54 to 57 percent.

• Documented non-smokers among patients increased from 77 to 82 percent.

As a part of the study, Geisinger developed a series of nine “best practice” guidelines when caring for diabetes patients. Many of those guidelines rely on electronic medical records. The electronic medical records automatically generate reminders to make sure patients receive their timely blood tests and vaccinations. Electronic medical records also allow patients and doctors to immediately review lab results and provide instant feedback to physicians concerning the health of their patients.

“This approach shows the importance of incorporating information technology directly into patient care,” Geisinger Medical Director of Performance Improvement Frederick Bloom, MD said. “These tools can be used by patients at home and doctors in clinics and the result is better overall patient health.”

The implementation of electronic medical records has shown through studies that they may provide improved quality to diabetic health care by actively engaging patients in their own results. For more information about electronic health record systems and how they may improve the quality health care of your practice, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EHR/EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s healthcare environment.

Ethan Luke. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

New Study Reveals Electronic Health Records Linked To Improved Quality Care

Jason.Smith — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:12:48 +0000

According to a new study by RAND Corporation researchers, routine use of electronic health records may improve the quality of care provided in primary practices more than other strategies intended to raise the quality of medical care. Researchers in Massachusetts studied 305 groups of primary care physicians and found that practices that utilized multifunctional electronic health records were more likely to provide better care for diabetes and deliver specific health screenings than those that did not. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate a link between the use of electronic health records in community-based medical practices and increased quality care. The study’s findings are published in the October 6 edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Past studies by RAND Health and other groups have consistently exposed problems with the quality of health care throughout the United States, including gaps in providing preventive and chronic disease care. These findings prompted the new study that reveals electronic health record systems are linked to increased quality care when the systems included advanced functions such as electronic reminders and were used consistently by a practice.

To conduct the study, RAND researchers surveyed 305 medical practices in 2007 to assess whether they had implemented any of 13 structural capabilities and strategies to improve the quality of their medical care. Examples of the structural changes intended to foster improved quality were: feedback on performance, sending reminders to physicians and patients about needed services, having language interpreter services, offering appointments on evenings and weekends, and adopting electronic health records. The information collected in the survey was then linked to the results reported for 13 commonly used measures of quality in four clinical areas – depression care, diabetes treatment, overuse of medical technology and common health screenings.

Primary care medical practices that used electronic health records performed better on five of the quality measures – two involving diabetes care and screenings for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and chlamydia. Researchers concluded that these findings are relevant to discussions concerning the potential benefits of adopting electronic health records across the nation’s health care system. They also suggested that increasing adoption of electronic health records may help improve the quality of care in important areas of preventive care and chronic disease management.

For more information about electronic health record systems and how they may improve the quality of health care for your practice, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EHR/EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s health care environment.

Ethan Luke. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

Electronic Health Records Could Help Suppress Domestic Abuse

Jason.Smith — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:12:13 +0000

Patient charts, prescription pads, Jenga-esque stacks of folders, and metal clipboards are very last century. We are now in the era of stem-cell research, gene-splicing, and CAT scans. Handwritten notes and record-keeping feels retro and is eco-expensive. Annual health care in the United States costs approximately $2 trillion, or more than $6,600 per man, woman and child in the country, according to Time and CNN. Not only does streamlining the health care industry feel technologically obvious, but it could save an estimated $300 billion a year, according to the national coordinator for health information technology under the last administration.

The overarching consensus with electronic health records is that we must go paperless, linking hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics through an interactive digital grid that allows medical histories, test results and all other data to be digitally transmitted anywhere and helps to eliminate medical errors, labor costs and the general clutter caused by paperwork. There are more benefits to electronic health records than less clutter, faster file finding, and more time for patients. Predictive models that tap into electronic health records could help doctors diagnose domestic abuse “10-30 months earlier by highlighting subtle patterns that are easy to miss,” according to a study from Children’s Hospital Boston.

In the study, researchers at Children’s Hospital analyzed six years of insurance claims for emergency-room visits and hospitalizations of more than half a million patients over the age of 18. All the patients had visits recorded over a minimum time period of four years, and only 1-3 percent had an abuse diagnosis on record.

“Using data from two-thirds of the patients, a computer model was trained to differentiate those who ultimately received a diagnosis of abuse from those who didn’t, based solely on their history of visits. The variables associated with abuse (such as a higher number of annual visits, mental health diagnoses, and visits for injury) were used to create a predictive model, which was tested on the remaining third of the patients,” according to the statement from the hospital. The study was published online September 29 in the British Medical Journal, and funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Library of Medicine.

Domestic abuse accounts for half of all murders of women every year, and is the most common cause of non-fatal injuries to women, according to a statement by the hospital. Most patients who seek treatment for injuries in these situations typically encounter a doctor for an average of 10 minutes, which is not enough time to carefully review and interpret information from multiple visits over the years. Electronic health records provide an additional safety net that could help minimize the chances that a high-risk patient slips through the cracks.

The e-MDs electronic medical records system is 2006, 2007 and 2008 CCHIT Certified and designed by physicians aiming to improve care, reduce errors and simplify business so that time spent with patients is time billed and coded properly. Its features work with staff to make the transition to an electronic medical records system as smooth as possible. With e-MDs, medical practices can visit, code, and bill with a single application. If your facility is looking to implement an electronic medical records system, look no further than e-MDs for a robust, cost-effective EHR system.

Ethan Luke. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

Bridging The Gap From Paper To Electronic Medical Records

Jason.Smith — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:55:38 +0000

For most medical facilities, the change from paper to electronic medical records can be perceived as difficult and frustrating. Staff members who are resistant to change may struggle to adapt their management skills to the new records system and may sometimes make the mistake of using paper as a crutch during the transition. However, once adjusted, an electronic medical records system helps staff work more efficiently, swiftly and make less mistakes. To help bridge the gap for the staff, an electronic medical records system can be supplemented with services that assist staff with their practices while assuring a quick, proficient and mistake-free transition.

During the transition, multitudes of information will need to be transferred from hard to digital copy. This may take up staff capacity and might deter many medical employees from thoroughly researching the digital files because they rushed to perform their extra transitional duties. DataFiling technologies can significantly reduce the confusion and mistakes made during the gradual transition. DataFile Technologies can be your healthcare technology partner that offers strategic solutions to free up your staff, free up your time and free up your space. Their services offer a superior medical record fulfillment process, a proven EMR implementation scanning service and a host of document management solutions.

Once your transition is complete, you can continue to use digital documentation solutions for your healthcare facility to ensure efficiency. Document Imaging Technologies deliver comprehensive document scanning and business processing outsourcing capabilities that integrate existing information systems to provide cost-effective solutions. It will help your organization make better decisions by converting, managing and organizing documents that drive your facility. With this extra capacity, your facility can build and sustain a competitive advantage by managing content throughout the organization, while automating and streamlining business processes.

Simplifying and improving the healthcare system is one of the most critical and dynamic situations we face in the immediate future. Too many facilities have been resistant to change and their patients are suffering the consequences. It is time to update your facility’s medical records system to meet the needs of society and its technologies. Help your facility bridge the gap between paper and electronic medical records with e-MDs.

The e-MDs electronic medical records system was designed by physicians to improve care, reduce errors, and simplify business so that time spent with patients is time spent properly. Its features work with staff to make the transition to an electronic medical records system as smooth as possible. If your facility is looking to add an electronic medical records system, look no further than e-MDs for a proper EMR system.

Ethan Luke.Electronic Medical Records – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your electronic medical records

EHR Systems Named Core Component to National Health Care Reform

Jason.Smith — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:54:19 +0000

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems have been recognized by the U.S. Government as a core component to national healthcare reform. Beginning in 2011, physicians and hospitals will begin receiving government incentives if they are “meaningful EHR users.” Though the definition of “meaningful users” is still under debate, the reason behind the definition is clear. It will help define ways to ensure the accuracy of data within EHR systems.

According to the HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association, the federal government is expected to announce the criteria of “meaningful use” sometime mid-July. However, a study released in The American Journal of Medicine shows that even without a technical definition for “meaningful use,” EHRs have the power to positively affect the savings and over-all practice of a medical facility.

The study showed transcription costs were reduced on average by 28 percent, with savings ranging from 20 to 100 percent based on the experience of each participating facility with other types of record systems. The net benefit of using a full EHR system was on average $86,400 per provider over five years, with the most favorable outcome $202,200 per provider. Even “light EHR system users” saw savings, on average, of $18,200 per provider. Study participants reported 33 percent savings on drug expenditures, 17 percent decrease in radiology needs, and 15 percent decrease in billing errors. Their expert panel estimated using EHRs could decrease billing errors by 78 percent. These savings can quickly add up when seen on a national level.

In the United States, over 15 percent of our Gross Domestic Product is spent on healthcare annually. More than $250 billion is spent for healthcare communication, and administrative services. According to Arthur Little’s study, $100 billion of the $250 billion is directly caused by inefficient communications, with 25 to 40 percent due to excessive paperwork and administrative overhead. One study concluded that, “because of their quality and cost benefits, (EHRs) should be used in primary care, and incentives to accelerate their adoption should be considered at a national level.”

While the adoption is currently being considered at a national level, studies are still exploring all the potential effects of EHR systems. One study focused on the inefficiency of paper-centric communications and record-keeping. The study reported that paper records cut efficiency, create unnecessary costs, and eat into facility time. The study found that for every hour spent on care, an average 40 minutes is spent on paper work. EHR systems drastically cut the time spent working on record keeping, leaving open free time for patient care and interaction.

Cost reduction and time efficiency is important to every medical facility. With an EHR system, a facility can cut overhead and increase efficiency. If your medical facility is looking to integrate an EHR into practice, look to a provider committed to meeting all emerging national standards, privacy requirements, specifications, and certification criteria.

The EHR system provided by e-MDs follows the ever emerging specifications of national EHR requirements. Their solution system was designed by physicians to improve care, reduce errors, simplify business, and is the standard for affordable and integrated EHR systems. For cost, time, and efficiency benefits, look to an EHR system from e-MDs.

Brigette Botkin. EHR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EHR

United States Government Invests in Nation’s Electronic Health Records

Jason.Smith — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:11:50 +0000

In an effort to digitize the health care industry, the government recently revealed $1.2 billion in federal grants for health care providers to transition to electronic health records systems, according to The Washington Post. This is the first wave of funding under a health care reform plan that is aimed at cutting costs and improving overall care in the future. This new reform plan has encouraged health care providers, physicians, and technology companies who will provide support for such a transition.

The new push for implementing electronic health records systems is a crucial step in overhauling the nation’s increasingly expensive health care system. An additional $36 billion in landmark stimulus legislation will be allocated to generate adoption of the equipment by doctors and hospitals as well as the networks that will link them together. Half of the grant will help establish 70 technology-extension centers that will assist the hospitals and other health care providers in implementing the electronic health records systems. Doctors, hospitals and other health care providers will also receive reimbursements for the equipment they purchase before 2015. According to the Obama Administration, the universal adoption of electronic health technology could save more than $77 billion a year.

The goal of universally digitizing doctors’ offices will hinge on how well small-office physician practices transition to digital records. Accordingly to NYTimes.com, three-fourths of the nation’s physicians practice medicine in offices with 10 or fewer doctors. The challenge is lessened by technology companies’ push to bring electronic health records into small practices. These small practices can benefit financially because of reduced paperwork and automated billing provided by electronic health records. They can also receive up to $44,000 per doctor in reimbursements for demonstrating “meaningful use” of a “certified” electronic health records system. The incentive payments are intended to reimburse doctors for much of the initial investment in electronic health records.

Simplifying and improving the health care system is one of the most critical and dynamic situations the nation faces in the immediate future. Too many facilities have been resistant to change and their patients are suffering the consequences. It is time to update your facility’s medical records system to meet the needs of society and its technologies.

The e-MDs electronic medical records system is 2006, 2007 and 2008 CCHIT Certified and designed by physicians aiming to improve care, reduce errors and simplify business so that time spent with patients is time billed and coded properly. Its features work with staff to make the transition to an electronic medical records system as smooth as possible. With e-MDs, medical practices can visit, code and bill with a single application. If your facility is looking to implement an electronic medical records system, look no further than e-MDs for a robust, cost-effective EHR system.

For more information about a reliable electronic health record system, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EHR/EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s healthcare environment.

Ethan Luke. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

EMR Systems Overtake Traditional Paper Records

Jason.Smith — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:53:59 +0000

Many medical information record systems were initially designed as financial systems with patient information added later, many times as an afterthought. Because these systems were not originally created for patient information, they are inefficient and problematic, providing perfect examples of badly-integrated, non-patient oriented, easily misplaced information systems.

Traditional paper record systems are bulky and take up precious space. Filing, retrieval, and refiling paper records is a labor intensive method of managing patient information. Problems can quickly arise because records cannot be accessed by separate departments at the same time. If a record is checked out for one department, another department must wait, wasting vital time.

Not having immediate access to key information in emergency situations can have serious and dangerous impacts. Paper records cannot be effectively searched or used to track, analyze, or record information, and cannot be efficiently copied or recorded off-site. Studies have repeatedly shown that paper medical records are cumbersome, costly, and can be easily misplaced.

An accessible, centralized, and secure patient information network is key to an efficient and reliable medical facility. By incorporating a system that can consolidate information across all facility operations, from admission to treatment to labs and billing, you increase the flow of information and reduce costs by creating better communication between medical personnel, insurance agencies, and patients. A record system that can accomplish all of this and more is an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system.

With an integrated EMR system, you can share, manage, collect, and protect medical information more proficiently than with a paper records system. EMR systems allow data to be directly and immediately entered into the network. This saves time, reduces transcription costs, and creates a higher document quality.

EMR systems are proven to reduce the occurrence of conflicting or incorrect drug prescriptions. According to a 2001 study by Arthur Little, the average revenue lost by inaccurate coding can range from 3 to 15 percent of a practice’s total revenue.

Physicians’ orders and the corresponding results can also be issued, saved and maintained more efficiently in a comprehensive EMR system. EMR systems give physicians the ability to sort and analyze large amounts of medical data to find patterns and help determine the best possible treatment. They can share patient information anywhere the network is in place, in real time. This means quicker medical response time and easier analysis and sharing of patient information. EMR systems offer more complete records that help clinicians, physicians, and staff avoid mistakes and may reduce the cost of malpractice insurance.

Consolidating and integrating your patient information is the key to quality patient care. EMR systems allow more timely treatment decisions, create tools to better manage records, and provide an overall improved patient experience. With a modern EMR information system, you can ensure better quality care, contain and manage operating costs, and mitigate risks.

If you’re looking for a reliable provider of an EMR system that can reduce risks, increase revenue, cut costs, and improve patient care, then visit e-MDs.com. Their practicing physicians and staff understand the time constraints of a busy practice. They have developed systems from entry-level applications, to complete comprehensive EMR software helping to solve every medical facility issue. They have effectively developed and deployed technology that saves time, decreases paper use, generates higher practice revenue, cuts costs, and improves patient care. If your facility is looking to join the digital age of medical record management, try e-MDs and learn what a comprehensive EMR system can do for you and your patients.

Brigette Botkin. EMR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EMRs.

Electronic Medical Records May Save Lives

Jason.Smith — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:11:25 +0000

Electronic medical records may dramatically improve the diagnosis, management and care of patients, according to a Kaiser Permanente study from the September 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. This study reports that electronic medical records improve the quality of health care overall and may result in quicker diagnosis and response time to critical needs.

Electronic medical records can also enable the study of data from an entire population in ways not previously possible: allowing conditions to be analyzed to determine what treatments work and what do not, finding patterns of care that are more effective, and defining the cost-effectiveness of various techniques and approaches for optimal care. By being able to track larger amounts of data than ever before, medical teams can track vital medical data without the need for costly and cumbersome voluntary studies. Lives might be saved by following and analyzing diagnosis and treatment across a large group of patients and new solutions could be discovered through new found research data. These are the positive influences that electronic medical records may supply on the research side, but every day solutions are also provided.

The safety alerts, built into many electronic medical record systems, may draw attention to life-threatening situations. Imagine a patient seen by two separate doctors. These doctors each prescribe separate medication that could harmfully interact, medication that is somehow not noted or brought to the second doctor’s attention. This could have a potentially fatal consequence. With a electronic medical record systems, doctors are alerted instantly to any potentially dangerous medical interactions or conditions of a patient. According to a “Safety in Prescribing” study in Archives of Internal Medicine, safety alerts that appear in electronic medical records reduce potentially dangerous interactions of co-prescriptions.

“This study shows that safety alerts in electronic medical records are a powerful tool to help clinicians make decisions about what drugs they should prescribe for their patients,” says Adrianne Feldstein, MD, MS, lead author of the study and an investigator at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research. “We compared the effects of two interventions in outpatient clinical settings – safety alerts in electronic medical records versus safety alerts plus clinician education courses. We found that adding clinician education to electronic medical records safety alerts did not reduce the rates of co-prescribing medications that interact any more than electronic medical records safety alerts alone. The reason is unclear, but it may be that the ‘just in time’ information provided by safety alerts is more useful to clinicians than education courses.”

Electronic medical records may help save lives, especially when they are properly implemented and understood. For more information about a reliable electronic medical record system, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing operational solutions and delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s medical field.

Brigette Botkin. Electronic Medical Records – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your electronic medical records.