Effects Of Electronic Health Records

Effect of electronic health record subsystems on hospital-wide risk-adjusted mortality rates of Medicare patients with acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure

by Peiyin Hung

Background: The final rule from CMS for the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR) leaves unanswered basic... more Background: The final rule from CMS for the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR) leaves unanswered basic questions about how the implementation of different EHR subsystems and the sequence of the implementation influences various treatment outcomes. Objectives: To examine the impact of five EHR subsystems on risk-adjusted mortality rates (RSMRs) in patients with AMI or CHF. Methods: 969 non-federal, acute care hospitals in 12 states were extracted from the linked 2008 American Hospital Association EHR Survey and CMS Hospital Compare Database. Adjusting for major hospital characteristics using least squares regression and propensity scores, we analyzed the impact of both EHR adoption and number of adopted EHR subsystems (clinical documentation, test results viewing system, physician order entry, decision support, bar-code system) on the outcomes of AMI and CHF inpatients. Results: Significant variation exists in the implementation of EHR subsystems across U.S. hospitals. The presence of an EHR in a hospital resulted in significant reductions in RSMRs for both AMI and CHF by as much as 0.59%. Adopting an additional subsystem resulted in a reduction in AMI and CHF RSMRs by 0.24% and 0.13%, respectively. However, optimal results were achieved in AMI when hospitals fully adopted at least 3 subsystems; for CHF, results were optimal when a hospital had adopted all 5 subsystems. Conclusions: Adoption of EHR reduces AMI and CHF mortality rates, but their effectiveness is dependent on how many subsystems are adopted. National implementation efforts may benefit from taking into account the sequence of EHR subsystem adoption in hospitals.

Narrowing the Gap: Chronic Illness Information as Experienced in Everyday Life and Healthcare Contexts

by Maria L. Souden

Recommendation for Electronic Health Records in Haiti

by Travis Horsley

By: Travis Horsley and Patrick Linton
Georgia Institute of Technology

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. After the 2010 earthquake, much of the infrastructure in the... more Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. After the 2010 earthquake, much of the infrastructure in the capital area was destroyed, including many hospitals and clincics. The paper-based records stored within were destroyed. Many tent-hospitals staffed by international volunteers had to treat trauma patients without any sort of medical record. An electronics health record (EHR) system could have maintained records for use in this crisis. This paper analyzes several EHR systems that have been implemented in the past in countries with HDI similar to Haiti, develops a typology for analyzing these systems, and proposes a path toward implementing a new EHR system.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in Rural Georgia

by Travis Horsley

A Policy Analysis for the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technologyand the Health Systems Institute at the Enterprise Innovation Institute

PUBP 6201
Policy Analysis
Dr. Marilyn A. Brown
Professor

Prepared By: Gayle Beyah, Franklin Gbologah, Travis Horsley, Hillary Lipko, Wes Staley and Haiyu Zou

The Benefits Of Health Information Technology: A Review Of The Recent Literature Shows Predominantly Positive Results

by Mike Hoaglin

Melinda Beeuwkes Buntin, Matthew F. Burke, Michael C. Hoaglin and
David Blumenthal

An unprecedented federal effort is under way to boost the adoption of electronic health records and spur innovation in... more An unprecedented federal effort is under way to boost the adoption of electronic health records and spur innovation in health care delivery. We reviewed the recent literature on health information technology to determine its effect on outcomes, including quality, efficiency, and provider satisfaction. We found that 92 percent of the recent articles on health information technology reached conclusions that were positive overall. We also found that the benefits of the technology are beginning to emerge in smaller practices and organizations, as well as in large organizations that were early adopters. However, dissatisfaction with electronic health records among some providers remains a problem and a barrier to achieving the potential of health information technology. These realities highlight the need for studies that document the challenging aspects of implementing health information technology more specifically and how these challenges might be addressed.

Electronic Health Records in Primary Care: Are We Ready?

by Amani Al Hajeri

هل نحن مستعدون لنظام الملفات الصحية الالكترونية في الرعاية الصحية الاولية؟

For citation: Al Hajeri A. Electronic Health Records in Primary Care: Are We Ready?. Bahrain Medical Bulletin. 2011. 33(2):112-113.