Reasons Why EMRs Are Better Than Paper Records

How information is collected, stored and organised at various businesses, including medical practices, has changed over time with the advent of technology. It has been widespread for medical practices, hospitals and clinics to use a paper record system when collecting, filing and storing crucial patient history. The patient’s file is a vital piece of information for the doctor as it allows him or her to create holistic healthcare plans. However, there are many failings of the paper medical record. The cons of the paper medical record pave the way for doctors to switch from paper to electronic medical records.

Paper vs Electronic Medical Records

What are they?

Paper medical records consist of paper files that contain the details of patient history, allergies and previous health information of an individual. As denoted by the term, the data is stored on paper in a file.
On the other hand, electronic medical records is an official health document which is stored on smart devices like tablets and smartphones. The medical record contains all relevant patient information which is crucial for diagnosis and health plans.

Why should you switch?

There are several cons of paper medical records which outweigh the initial factors, which are daunting for practices when they are initially considering the switch. However, paper documents vs electronic documents can be easily solved by considering what benefits emrs offer:

• Time Factors:

Electronic medical records are faster than paper medical records. Getting the hang of the software is not an arduous process since many of us are highly familiar with technology these days. So your staff does not need to undergo extensive training to understand how to use the software.

The initial transition may be daunting because of unfamiliar territory, but once you power through it, the practice is bound to run much more efficiently. Electronic medical records enable doctors to store information much more quickly during sessions if they use appropriate tech features like voice to text recorders.

Related: How to Use EMRs (Electronic Medical Records)

In addition, EMRs allow for quicker retrieval of lab results and other imaging because everything is integrated to work efficiently together. Electronic medical records also come with ICD ready coding and billing features such as electronic medical invoicing, which makes the process of billing and filling quick and seamless as well. Lastly, you can cut down on human errors, which slow down workflow like files being misplaced and poor handwriting on paper files.