The Pros And Cons Of Electronic Health Records

After years of paper-based health records, a new and more improved way of keeping healthcare records has emerged in more recent years. The electronic health record is an electronic format of a patient’s current and past medical history. Electronic health records are maintained by a provider that is capable of sharing healthcare information such as provider notes, injuries, past surgeries, medications, and allergies by network connected information systems. Whether confronted by natural disasters, health pandemics, or even bioterrorism attacks, the public needs dependable healthcare access to their medical information. With the adoption of electronic health records over the years, there is no longer concern of a person’s medical information disappearing as it had done in the past at times with paper records. While there is always going to be room for improvement, usability, and affordability of electronic health records, experts would prefer that healthcare professionals focus only on the EHR’s future potential (Van Den Bos, 2011). The electronic health record is an electronic form of an individual’s medical chart. Unlike the old days of paper-based charts, these electronic records are readily available anytime, anywhere, to any authorized healthcare provider within …show more content…
However, it is not surprising looking at the astounding information previously mentioned and knowing that because of all these medical errors, the US is ranked 44 out of 50 when it comes to countries with the most efficient healthcare. Even more so, the United States is only ranked 25 out of 50 for countries in regard to the highest life expectancy (Ranking America, 2014). Due to the low outcomes and continuing push toward all healthcare providers to adopt the electronic health records, some may wonder if the EHR will continue to be beneficial for all healthcare providers and