The future of healthcare is already going digital, like many other industries such as banking and education. As technology advances, how will the digital sphere of healthcare develop? Digital scribes, artificial intelligence assistance, and uniquely tailored healthcare apps are not far out of reach.
Dr. Joel Arun Sursas, a medical doctor and health informatician, is driven to better the technological and administrative issues in healthcare. Below, he further discusses the future of electronic medical records technology.
What is an Electronic Medical Record?
Electronic medical records are the backbone of healthcare information technology. They are used by doctors to digitally track and record the medical information and health of their patients.
Electronic medical records made their first appearance in the 1960s but were not widely adopted until 2009. In the last ten years, electronic medical records have slowly become a substitute for traditional paper files. Unfortunately, this paper-to-digital transition has created multiple problems and headaches. Experts believe that the most necessary improvements are user-friendliness, accessibility, regulation, and standardization.
What Does the Future of Electronic Medical Records Hold?
When some doctors are still reverting to traditional methods and continuing to rely on paper even after working with electronic medical records, an integration issue exists. The success of digital advancement is limited when the adapting environment is shaped by paper charted thinking. The solution comes with implementing educational workshops as well as more research on understanding human-technology integration factors and what actions can be taken to overcome challenges.
The implementation of electronic health records into healthcare facilities gives room for improvements with data-mining. Data-mining will help operational, financial, and clinical processes progress in multiple ways. The option to utilize data gathered through electronic health records for process automation as well as real-time support in decision making is beneficial for healthcare providers. Not only will the quality of patient care increase, but financial savings will take place, as well. The future will hold competitive advantages for hospitals that choose to integrate advanced electronic medical records.
The combination of human-technology integration research with advancing data-mining research both build off basic electronic health record adoption. The research frame of electronic health adaptation is beginning to form around its ability to support and adhere to specific tasks. These tasks might include integrating clinical decision support into clinical workflow, automating the collection of patient-reported outcomes, capturing high-quality data for clinical trials, and integrating population health management efforts.
Electronic medical records now hold a place for genetic information extracted from the patient genome. The way genetics are approached on electronic health records will continue to evolve. The future of patient care is expected to rely on genetic testing and the way physicians use the gathered genetic data within their daily practice.
“The development of electronic medical records is both fascinating and exciting. However, the experts who are initiating these technological advancements in healthcare need never lose sight of solving today’s current issues entirely before progressing,” said Dr. Joel Arun Sursas.