Paper health records
Paper health records involve the use of papers and files to collect and store patient data and information in the healthcare institutions. For many decades, the paper-based records have worked effectively for healthcare institutions. This implies that using them would not affect the operations of the healthcare institutions since they have proven to be efficient and effective within the healthcare system . Paper health records can be very effectively if safely and carefully managed and stored. However, they may have the disadvantage of making the operations of the healthcare institutions slow. They are advantageous in that they help the institutions to keep a good track of the health record of the patient. Paper based records are more cost effective and hence well reliable in ensuring that the company does not incur high costs as in other forms of medical records
Hybrid medical records
A hybrid medical record is one that includes the attributes of paper medical record as well as electronic medical record. Essentially, this kind of record uses both manual and electronic processes in order to enable access to patient information. Hybrid records may involve dictation, lab, and x-ray results that may be electronically produced while progress notes, provider information, as well as doctor’s orders may remain on paper . Notably, this form of medical record keeping is important since it is possible for the staff in the healthcare institutions to compare the records in the electronic systems with information on the papers and hence approach treatment in an appropriate manner. This type of health medical record enables for safety since when data and information is lost from one end it can be obtained from the other.
Electronic health records
Electronic health record involves a collection of patient health information that is generated through one or a couple of meetings within any healthcare delivery setting. Essentially, an electronic health record will include patient demographics, patient progress notes, patient problems and medications, vital signs and past medical history, immunization, laboratory data, as well as radiology reports that are stored in an electronic data base . Electronic health record streamlines clinician’s workflow and is able to generate a complete record that has a clinical patient encounter. The major focus of electronic health record is on the total health of the patient. This implies that it compounds all the data and information relating to the health condition of the patient in order to generate a complete report. As such, the electronic health record is designed to reach beyond the healthcare institution that collected the original data relating to a patient.
Differences and similarities
Paper health record differs from the electronic health record in that it is manually carried out while the electronic health record is electronically operated. While data in the paper health record is stored in files, data in electronic health record is stored in a system database. While the paper health record and the electronic health record are independent, the hybrid health record utilizes both the paper health record and the electronic health record . Therefore, based on the information given, it is clear that there are differences between the three types of health records. However, the hybrid health record is similar to electronic health record in that, part of its operations involves electronic data entry and retrieval. It is similar to paper health record in that there are elements of paper health records in the hybrid that involve manual recording and storage of patient data and information.
Works cited
Hermann, Bussmann. et al. "Hybrid Data Capture for Monitoring Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in Urban Botswana." Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Vol. 84, No. 2 (2006): pp 4-35.
Patrick, Derhy. et al. "Digital Pen and Paper Technology Is an Effective Way of Capturing Variance Data When Using Arthroplasty Clinical Pathways." Australian Health Review, Vol. 33, No. 3 (2009): pp 3-37.
Yung-Yu, Su. et al. "Measuring End-Users' Opinions for Establishing a User-Centred Electronic Health Record (EHR) System from the Perspective of Nurses." Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, Vol. 4, No. 2 (2009): pp 4-39.
