Running head: ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS 1 ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS 7 Electronic Health Records Kristina Comer Rasmussen College Author Note This paper is being submitted on November 26, 2014, for Dorothy Moore, Foundations of Managed Care Thesis Statement Electronic Health Records system are essential and should be widely adopted to benefit patients and the society in the private and public hospitals due to the expanding population since it is essential for patient data collection in this era. Introduction With the advancement in globalization, adopting the EHR system is beneficial. This system is the future of the health care in America. It promises that it will remove the medical field’s many barriers such as saving time, money and lives. However, the matter regarding whether the electronic health records system should be implemented in the whole world is still debatable. Electronic Health Records system are essential and should be widely adopted to benefit patients and the society in the private and public hospitals due to the expanding population since it is essential for patient data collection in this era. EHR’s Functionalities Clinical decision support tools This system assists providers in making decisions regarding patient care Computerized Physician Order Entry systems This system allows physicians to enter electronic orders instead of paper orders. This eliminates medical errors. Health Information Exchange This system enables different providers to share patients’ information to create service delivery efficiency. Advantages of EHR’s Clinical Outcomes EHR’s have been associated with quality healthcare and patients’ safety. It facilitates efficiency which is providing care at the tight time and in the right manner. Organizational Outcomes In relation to EHR’s organizational outcomes includes averted costs, increased revenues improved legal compliance and other benefits Societal Outcomes Heath records are used in research leading to quantitative analysis that leads to more relevant and reliable findings. Potential Disadvantages Financial Issues Financial issues that are associated with the adoption include the adoption costs, implementation costs, maintenance costs Disruption of Work-flows Electronic Health Systems are also associated with disruption of work flow in the health care providers and medical staff. This leads to temporary productivity losses. Patient Privacy violation risk EHR’s also puts the healthcare at the risk of violating patient privacy. This is due to the increased electronic information exchange. How Mayo clinic uses HER and how it measure its healthcare’s effectiveness At mayo clinic, the Strategic Healthcare IT department uses the EHR system to enhance patient safety and improve their medical outcomes. Medical information that is contained in this system includes medical history, hospital visits, and examination data and physicians notes. The system was implemented to add.

1. Running head: ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS
1
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS
7
Electronic Health Records
Kristina Comer
Rasmussen College
Author Note
This paper is being submitted on November 26, 2014, for
Dorothy Moore, Foundations of Managed Care
Thesis Statement
Electronic Health Records system are essential and should be
widely adopted to benefit patients and the society in the private
and public hospitals due to the expanding population since it is
essential for patient data collection in this era.
Introduction
With the advancement in globalization, adopting the EHR
system is beneficial. This system is the future of the health care
in America. It promises that it will remove the medical field’s
many barriers such as saving time, money and lives. However,
the matter regarding whether the electronic health records
system should be implemented in the whole world is still
debatable. Electronic Health Records system are essential and
should be widely adopted to benefit patients and the society in
the private and public hospitals due to the expanding population
since it is essential for patient data collection in this era.

2. EHR’s Functionalities
Clinical decision support tools
This system assists providers in making decisions regarding
patient care
Computerized Physician Order Entry systems
This system allows physicians to enter electronic orders instead
of paper orders. This eliminates medical errors.
Health Information Exchange
This system enables different providers to share patients’
information to create service delivery efficiency.
Advantages of EHR’s
Clinical Outcomes
EHR’s have been associated with quality healthcare and
patients’ safety. It facilitates efficiency which is providing care
at the tight time and in the right manner.
Organizational Outcomes
In relation to EHR’s organizational outcomes includes averted
costs, increased revenues improved legal compliance and other
benefits
Societal Outcomes
Heath records are used in research leading to quantitative
analysis that leads to more relevant and reliable findings.

3. Potential Disadvantages
Financial Issues
Financial issues that are associated with the adoption include
the adoption costs, implementation costs, maintenance costs
Disruption of Work-flows
Electronic Health Systems are also associated with disruption of
work flow in the health care providers and medical staff. This
leads to temporary productivity losses.
Patient Privacy violation risk
EHR’s also puts the healthcare at the risk of violating patient
privacy. This is due to the increased electronic information
exchange.
How Mayo clinic uses HER and how it measure its healthcare’s
effectiveness
At mayo clinic, the Strategic Healthcare IT department uses the
EHR system to enhance patient safety and improve their
medical outcomes. Medical information that is contained in this
system includes medical history, hospital visits, and
examination data and physicians notes. The system was
implemented to address patient needs of secondary use of their
data. The EHR allows Mayo clinic to exchange patients’
information among other healthcare providers, insurers,
government agencies and other stakeholders. Mayo clinic has
advance efficiency and quality of patient care by implementing
the EHR system.
To measure the effectiveness and results of its healthcare, Mayo
clinic uses the standards set by national organizations such as
the Joint commission. It uses the standards set by these
organizations as a benchmark of the quality of their healthcare.
The standards endorsed by the Joint commission and other

4. national organizations are reliable and valid measures of results
of any healthcare.
Conclusion
Despite the given drawbacks, the benefits still out do them and
EHR’s are essential and the future of American health care
providers
References
Lee, A. (2011). Improving the adoption of electronic health
record in the US—Lessons from the UK, Denmark, and Canada.
Public Health Capstone Course Report. Michigan State
University.
Annotated Bibliography
Lee, A. (2011). Improving the adoption of electronic health
record in the US—Lessons from the UK, Denmark, and Canada.
Public Health Capstone Course Report. Michigan State
University.
The article by Lee compares the successful adoption of the EHR
systems by other countries to that of the US. The study reported
that in the United States, the number of health care providers
using the electronic health records systems is 30%. This places
the country among the bottom of the OECD countries. The
article states the importance of implementing the system. It
states that giving the healthcare systems financial incentives is
not sufficient. The government and medical associations must
also be fully committed to adopt the system. Other requirements
provided include a clear statement of the healthcare policies and
standards. This aids in the success for EHR adoption
nationwide.
Ludwick, D. A., & Doucette, J. (2009). Adopting electronic
medical records in primary care: lessons learned from health

5. information systems implementation experience in seven
countries. International journal of medical informatics, 78(1),
22-31.
This article by Ludwick and Doucette identifies the current
knowledge regarding the adoption of health information
systems. The goal of the study is to understand the factors that
affect the implementation outcomes of previous health
information systems. Factors that affect the implementation as
identified by this review include design quality of the graphic
user interface, feature functionality, users’ previous experiences
and project management and procurement. Other factors
identified include the concerns about staff anxiety. Quality of
care, time factors, liability, finances and efficiency. From the
article, we see that quality of care patient/provider relations and
patient care are not affected by the implementation of the
system.
DesRoches, C. M., Campbell, E. G., Rao, S. R., Donelan, K.,
Ferris, T. G., Jha, A., ... & Blumenthal, D. (2008). Electronic
health records in ambulatory care—a national survey of
physicians. New England Journal of Medicine, 359(1), 50-60.
This review assesses the adoption of the EHR by physicians. It
also asses their satisfaction using the system, perceive effects of
the system on quality of care, perceived barriers of adoption and
other factors. According to the study, physicians believe that
using the system will improve quality f care. They are also
satisfied with using the system. Previous adopters of the system
may however differ from the later adopters. This article is
helpful in understanding the perception of the physicians
regarding the use of EHR systems