Security Issues of the Electronic EHR and

Issues with Converting to an EHR

Gary Driscoll

HI150-01

UNIT 9 Assignment

Kaplan University

19 October 2011

The digital age is replacing the standard practices at a record breaking pace. With that increase, the need to digitize new medical records and convert existing records is becoming an issue at the top of most organizations “To Do List”. It is important for the organization to realize that both storage practices have the same risks: inappropriate access, record tampering, storage costs, and accessibility. In addition to that, the paper medical record needs to realize and identify the risks of chart legibility, while the …show more content…

Additionally, the majority of EHR’s use Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) which allows the providers to click on orders, tests, and documentation. These entries are recorded electronically into the chart. When documenting into the patient chart, the provider will either type directly into the chart or use voice to text dictation software (for example: Dragon, by Nuance).

More and more organizations are moving toward the implementation of an EHR. Although it does appear as mature resolution to record storage/access, it does have many hurdles to overcome before enjoying the fruits of their labor. The first steps would be picking an application and having the IT department test and deploy the system. After that, the health information staff can migrate the paper records to the EHR software by scanning the records and file/identify them into the new digital system. With that new system comes extensive training for the clinical providers, health information staff, and administration. Once the training is completed and the product is ready for the providers to use, it is normal for the providers to see a decrease in performance metrics, due to unforeseen issues and also the learning curve associated with the new process. Metrics should be re-evaluated at approximately 90 days after go-live to give a more realistic view of how the product is being used vs. prior to use2.

Once the conversion is complete, facilities