Most frequently asked questions about electronic medical records

Electronic medical records, or EMRs, are rapidly replacing paper records, yet they still raise many questions among doctors and practise administrators.

Here is  a Q&A session with Healthbridge’s Head of Clinical Product, Jared Krain, who  discussed the most common EMR questions from doctors.

1. What are EMRs?

Some people may know that “electronic medical record” is abbreviated as “EMR,” but what does an EMR actually consist of? Think of it as an electronic version of a traditional “yellow file”. It’s a digitised depiction of the patient’s medical records.

2. Why are EMRs used?

The essence  of an EMR is to make sure that doctors can access relevant patient data promptly and reliably from any location. An EMR makes it simpler to compile patient data and draw attention to relevant details (such as allergies and diseases) and clinical trends.

Essentially, an EMR’s goal is to enhance care delivery by providing pertinent data to the treating physician (or physicians) in a structured fashion.

3. What are the main benefits of using EMRs?

Other advantages include not losing any data and having a fuller picture of the patient’s health, in addition to the obvious convenience of clinicians being able to view patient records from any location.

You won’t need to waste time scrolling or paging through mountains of data to find the information you need; instead, it will be presented in such a way that anything of paramount importance is availed to  you right away.

The data structure is also consistent across all contributing physicians. Because all members of a multidisciplinary team have access to the same healthcare medical data information, from absolutely anywhere, which means care is enhanced.

4. What are some of the mistakes doctors make when using EMRs?

The common mistake is to try to accomplish everything on the first day. Each clinic will require its own customised digital journey. You should be suspicious of any solution that promises instant digital transformation.

The second trap is failing to digitise the company’s backend processes. Although the focus is on the administrative side of your business when discussing the storage and organisation of clinical information for the doctor, the two sides must work together seamlessly.

5. How long does it take to set up an EMR?

This is highly context dependent. The system is ready for use on day one, even for brand new practices. More time will be needed for full implementation if your practice is older and still uses paper patient records or outdated systems and processes.

Instead of worrying about how long something will take, you should concentrate on making the most of your time working with the system and your technology partner.

6. How do you decide which EMR to purchase?

It’s ideal to choose a solution that was developed with your field of expertise in mind. First and foremost, the solution must put General Practitioners (GPs) at the centre of  attention so that their needs may be met by the system. Many generic EMRs are not designed with the specifics of a general practitioner’s office in mind.

A local solution is preferable. Using international EMR solutions can be confusing because they often include tools and medical jargon that aren’t used in South Africa.

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