Healthcare delivery system has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a collection of different institutions, organizations, people, and even actions which has the primary goal of promoting, restoring, or maintaining health. These are inclusive of the different initiatives in influencing the different determinants of health. Moreover, healthcare delivery systems does not only consist of health professionals and institutions but also other facilities which provide personal health care services (World Health Organization [WHO], 2008).
Currently, innovations in the healthcare delivery systems have already been developed to improve the product, process, and structure of the health care. Specifically, health innovation has been defined as the overview of a particular concept, idea, process, or product which is relatively new and can be used to help improve the screening, diagnosis, treatment, education, prevention, and even research of different healthcare issues. One of the current advances in healthcare delivery system is the introduction of information technology when it comes to the patient and hospital records (Omachonu & Einspruch, 2010).
Electronic Health Record System is considered as the main innovation which links information technology and the health care sector. Electronic Health Records aim to provide electronic copies of the medical history of patients including the patient’s demographic information, progress notes, clinical diagnosis, medications, vital signs, laboratory test results, previous medical and immunization histories, and even radiology reports. This innovation aims to automate the healthcare professional’s access to patient information, reduce medical error through improved accuracy and clarity of patient records, reduce repetition of tests conducted, reduce treatment delays, and hasten interprofessional collaboration by making patient information available and accessible to concerned health professionals (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS], 2012) .
According to the study of Donohue, et al. (2015), majority of health professionals who participated in the study found that healthcare plans generated using an electronic health record system is considered useful especially in terms of managing and directing care among the different stakeholders, considering different treatment options, understanding the various adverse effects associated with the different treatment options, and even supporting medical and clinical decisions. The use of electronic health record system in the generation of healthcare plans allowed easier provision and coordination of care among healthcare professionals. Another study by Abbass, et al. (2012) revealed the effect or impact of the introduction of electronic health records when it comes to the productivity of the nurses. Based on the results of the study, majority or almost two-thirds of the respondents from two surveys revealed that nurses reported a high electronic health record index of greater than 5. Additionally, the employment of nurses was observed to be increased in hospitals which scored a higher penetration of electronic health records as compared to hospitals with low penetration of electronic health records.
Based on my healthcare experience, it is apparent that electronic health records allow easier and smoother interaction between health professionals and patients. Aside from this, the diagnosis and treatment of patients are also done faster because all of the necessary information needed to make a clinical diagnosis are already compiled in the electronic health record of the patient. Furthermore, medical errors are also significantly reduced because all of the medications and past test results of the patients can already be found in the record system.
In totality, the introduction of the electronic health record system greatly improved the productivity of health professionals especially when it comes to the delivery of healthcare services.
References
Abbass, I., Helton, J., Mhatre, S., and Sangiry, S.S. (2012). Impact of electronic health records on nurses’ productivity. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing 30(5): 237-241.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS]. (2012). Electronic Health Records. CMS.gov. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/E-health/EHealthRecords/index.html [Accessed on 29 Jun 2016]
Donohue, S.M., Sesto, M.E., Hahn, D.L., Buhr, K.A., Jacobs, E.A., Sosman, J.M., Andreason, M.J., Wiegmann, D.A., and Tevaarwerk, A.J. (2015). Evaluating Primary Care Providers’ Views on Survivorship Care Plans Generated by an Electronic Health Record System. Journal of Oncology Practice 11(3): e329-e335.
Omachonu, V.K. and Einspruch, N.G. (2010). Innovation in Healthcare Delivery Systems: A Conceptual Framework. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal 15(1): Article 2.
World Health Organization [WHO]. (2008). Everybody’s Business: Strengthening Health Systems to Improve Health Outcomes: WHO’s Framework For Action. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press.
