Question

Electronic health records (EHRs) are being instituted at Pleasant Valley Hospital. Some of the staff on Unit 4 complain to the manager that acquiring the technologic skills required is too time consuming. They question its value in patient care. The manager responds that:

a. The use of technology is inevitable in our technologically oriented society.
b. The hospital is no longer able to find the space to accommodate paper record keeping.
c. The initiative is being driven by decision makers higher up in the hierarchy and there is no choice.
d. EHRs will increase effectiveness of care by enhancing coordination and improving patient outcomes.

Answer 1

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are a vital technological advancement in healthcare, aimed at improving care quality and efficiency. They align with policy reforms like the ACA that mandate the transition to EMRs, while also posing challenges such as training and privacy concerns that require careful policy consideration.

Step-by-step explanation:

Electronic Health Records in Healthcare

The instituting of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) at Pleasant Valley Hospital represents a significant shift towards modernization in healthcare, addressing several challenges including the necessity for improved efficiency and quality of patient care.

EHRs are essential for numerous reasons. Firstly, they allow for the sharing of digital records among healthcare providers, aimed at improving the quality of healthcare while reducing costs. Secondly, there is an increasing need for the standardization of patient records to streamline healthcare operations—a trend driven by an aging and less healthy population and the consolidation of healthcare providers. The transition to EHRs is further exemplified by policy developments such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which includes regulations to control healthcare costs and mandates the switch to EMRs to minimize administrative expenditures.

Challenges to EHR implementation include staff resistance due to the perceived time-consuming nature of acquiring necessary technological skills and concerns about patient privacy. Health managers can respond to these issues by highlighting the long-term benefits of EHRs, which include enhanced care coordination, improved patient outcomes, better adherence to guidelines, and increased overall efficiency in a technologically evolving society.

Privacy and Policy Considerations

When developing policies related to EHRs, it is crucial to balance costs with quality of life and privacy concerns. Three critical questions arising in this context are:

1. How can policies ensure that EHRs remain cost-effective while still providing the maximum benefit to patients' quality of life?
2. What measures are being implemented to safeguard patients' privacy when digital records are shared among providers?
3. How do we assess whether the benefits of EHRs outweigh the potential risks to individual privacy?

The implementation of EHRs at Pleasant Valley Hospital, as indicated by the hospital manager's responses, points towards a recognition of these broader considerations within the healthcare system, emphasizing not just compliance with regulations but also dedication to enhancing patient care through technological advancement.