The health industry has experienced a significant digital transformation over the past few years. This change has motivated health IT stakeholders to pay more attention to improving health information systems. For this reason, they are putting a lot of work into optimizing EHR systems to ensure that they support excellent decision-making in the health sector.

doctor showing patient information on a tablet - ehr optimization

These systems assist clinicians in storing patient health data centrally and making vital decisions based on this information. Optimizing EHR makes the information more valuable to patients and healthcare providers in the following ways:

Simplifying the Workflow

Recent research indicates that physicians spend most of their time evaluating and documenting charts when using EHR. The process is time-consuming because they must scroll and click through the records. However, optimizing these information systems through EHR transcription collects vital clinical information, eliminates unnecessary tasks for these professionals, and enables them to make informed decisions. In addition, it allows clinicians to spend more time caring for the patients rather than searching for data.

Creating Cardiovascular Risk Awareness

Integrating EHR systems in decision-making helps doctors and physicians calculate cardiovascular disease risk and create awareness about this vital issue. For example, combining cancer treatment information and cardiovascular health data allows clinicians to understand any gaps in patient care better. The data used in the research study was measured through the Automated Heart-Health Assessment (AH-HA) tool and the Vigor-Us mobile app. Applying the optimized EHR tools through medical transcription services in a diverse patient setting can reduce the risk for these illnesses and save more lives.

Assists in maintaining Patients’ End of Life Decisions

Clinicians who use advanced EHR systems when making decisions are more likely to uphold the patients’ wishes regarding the end of life. Every patient has a reason for choosing a particular way of ending their life in case of a life-death situation. Therefore, clinical care providers should prioritize the patient’s needs, including upholding their wishes.

An optimized EHR system assists healthcare providers in implementing the End of Life Care Plan effectively. They request the patients decide at the right time and upload the information electronically. These systems have become more critical during the COVID-19 pandemic because the patients’ friends and families can know their wishes without visiting them or being at their bedside.

Assists in evaluating Social Determinants of Health

Today, the healthcare sector focuses more on Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) among various populations. Optimized EHR systems enable medical professionals to discover practical solutions by evaluating, screening, and documenting the data. The digital records help these professionals understand how housing and unemployment influence patients’ health. They also use this information to create awareness and determine the resources and strategies to close the health gap in a particular population.

Advancing Precision Medicine

EHR optimization enables scholars to improve precision medicine through evidence-based research. In addition, healthcare providers can further use the interpreted data to customize patient care and meet specific patient needs. Therefore, EHR integration supports academic medical centers and healthcare institutions in researching and implementing precision medicine.

The integration of EHR optimization in the healthcare sector has improved decision-making processes. For example, clinicians and other healthcare providers use the digital data stored in EHR systems to modify their workflow, provide customized patient care, evaluate SDOH, and promptly create cardiovascular condition awareness.