My thoughts about the use of EHR have pretty much always been positive. I have worked a few different jobs in the healthcare field, and it is very convenient to be able to look through a patient’s chart electronically and see their entire history. I understand that for some patients, it may be concerning to have all of their personal information in one place and may make them feel vulnerable.
HIE is a relatively new service available to medical professionals, as it was only introduced roughly twenty years ago. It has proven to be much more effective than other methods of data sharing such as fax, telephone, mail, or relying on the patient to bring their own medical history with them everywhere. For nurses specifically, HIE has completely revolutionized the care process. It allows nurses to get a complete picture of a patient’s past, whether it be surgical, medical, or their medication list. It simplifies the process of gathering data immensely, and it gives updated information, so that no matter where a patient goes to receive care, nurses will have the whole picture of their health. In the same vein, electronic health records can be used to detect major risk factors that may contribute to severe illness, which means that they also can help prevent medical events before they occur. I think that aspect of the EHR is most applicable to my future nursing practice. Being able to look at a patient’s history and see how they’ve trended over any number of years will not only save me time, but it will streamline the process of getting that patient the proper care that they need. As previously stated, EHR also improves the communication process between healthcare providers, which will definitely allow me to enhance care, as I can get answers and put in requests much faster.
