Quality of Care

Electronic health records improve quality of care

New studies emerge each day pointing to the ability for Electronic Health Record to improve patient quality of care and the practice of medicine. Practice Fusion has gathered some of the most recent reports here for your review.

EHR improves primary care clinicians’ quality of care over 12 months
• “The proportion of clinicians agreeing that the EHR improved the overall quality of care (63% to 86%; p<0.001), reduced medication-related errors (72% to 81%; p=0.03), improved follow-up of test results (62% to 87%; p<0.001), and improved communication among clinicians (72% to 93%; p<0.001) increased from month 1 to month 12.” (Society of General Internal Medicine – 2009)

EHR boosts care coordination for kidney patients
• “Electronic Health Records can help improve health outcomes for patients at high risk of kidney disease, according to a study published Wednesday in the British Medical Journal.” (iHealthBeat – 2009)

EHR reduces malpractice claims
• “In a study done by Harvard researchers, 6.1% of physicians with electronic records had malpractice settlements, compared to 10.8% without electronic records.” (Computer World – 2008)

EHR reduces infection rates and medical errors
• "For the first time, all the different doctors involved in a patient’s care could work from the same chart, using electronic medical records, which drew data together in one place, ensuring that the information was not lost or garbled. The new system had dramatic effects. For instance, it prompted doctors to follow guidelines for preventing infection when dressing wounds or inserting IVs, which in turn caused infection rates to fall by 88 percent. The number of medical errors and deaths also dropped." (Washington Monthly – 2009)

EHR increases mammography rates
• "Automated reminder programs make it more convenient for people to focus on staying healthy by getting the screenings they need." (Kaiser – 2009)

EMR supports management of childhood obesity
• “EMRs have been found to improve clinician implementation of clinical guidelines. Bordowitz et al found EMR automatic BMI calculations to improve documentation and treatment of adult obese patients. EMRs also have been used to educate providers regarding their own performance, to guide pediatric care and to facilitate quality improvement efforts.” (PEDIATRICS – 2009)