A large number of clinics have already switched to electronic health records (EHR), but there are still some medical institutions that still use paper records and are in no hurry to switch to an electronic alternative.
Potential risks of paper medical records
The use of paper charts in the clinic is fraught with several risks:
- Additional paper space required.
- There is no way to make a quick and detailed report to analyze the work. It is difficult to determine which areas and services are the most successful, where the performance falls short and what the demographics of patients are.
- Information is stored in a single copy and it is not safe.
- It is very difficult to exchange data with other medical organizations, which negatively affects the treatment of the patient.
- There is no automation, which means that the burden on staff increases. If everything is on paper, there is no question of simplifying processes.
Why is it better to start with specialized medical software right away?
Sometimes clinics switch from paper cards to non-specialized programs, such as Excel spreadsheets or a simple CRM system. If possible, we advise you to skip this step and go directly to the patient’s electronic medical record. The implementation of EHR will make your clinic more modern and convenient. The transition from paper to electronic is an important project for the clinic, and you need to start it fully equipped, having a complete understanding of what is involved and choosing a trusted software developer.
Reasons why you should switch to specialized medical software:
- Medical software is tailored to the needs of patients and is not focused on sales, unlike conventional programs.
- Data security is a priority for all developers, but in medical software it is given even more attention.
- A high level of automation and customization ensures smooth operation and productivity. As a result, the costs of the clinic are reduced, profits are growing and the initial investment pays off in a short time.
- Medical programs support preventive medicine. Staff can create reports and find patients who are due for regular check-ups and tests. This allows for targeted communication with patients and better support for their health.
- And finally, medical software is tailored for a high level of patient care. Each part of the system helps to do everything faster, without errors and oversights. Developers have a lot of experience and foresee what is not paid attention to in ordinary programs.
How do EHRs help in cancer treatment?
Chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes place a burden on the world’s health systems. According to statistics, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 609,360 people died of cancer in the US in 2022, which equates to nearly 1,700 deaths per day. The largest number of deaths are from lung, prostate and colon cancers in men and lung, breast and colon cancers in women. The effective use of the EHR can help in the detection and treatment of cancer.
Cancer detection
In the fight against cancer, time plays a decisive role. If you detect the oncological process in time and start to act actively, using the possibilities of modern medicine, then the chances of recovery and life increase significantly. Early-stage cancer is effectively treatable and controlled, patient survival is high, and the prognosis is good. Since EHR allows staff to quickly learn everything about the patient’s health, view the medical history, services provided in the medical center, it is much easier for doctors to notice changes in the tests or the patient’s condition. Often patients ask the question: “What test should I take to make sure that I definitely do not have cancer?” Alas, there is no such analysis. However, a systematic examination of the body, which includes various ultrasounds and tests, will help you immediately notice changes and begin to react by conducting a more detailed checklist of the body.
Cancer treatment
Modern medicine uses an integrated approach to cancer treatment, i.e. a combination of local control over the tumor process and systemic antitumor treatment. If earlier oncological care consisted mainly in the removal of a tumor with the help of surgical intervention, today it is a wide arsenal of methods for influencing the tumor process – chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, surgery, etc. At the same time, cancer treatment is not limited to a single choice of methods or their combination, and implies constant monitoring of the patient’s condition at all stages. With the EHR, which records the date and time of appointments, prescribed medications, prescriptions, and recommendations from all doctors visited by a cancer patient, monitoring a patient’s condition becomes much easier. And given that the EHR saves the doctor’s time thanks to a simple interface, auto-complete fields, templates and quick search, the specialist will spend more time on the patient and study the course of his illness in more detail. EHR can be provided to other medical organizations for better and more complete treatment of patients. If a patient is treated in multiple clinics, which is often the case for cancer treatment, all treating physicians will have up-to-date information on the course of treatment and prescriptions, and will not prescribe conflicting drugs.
An electronic health record is an absolute must for every clinic, which greatly simplifies the detection and treatment of both cancer and other diseases.
Written by: Ann Krutsko, Healthcare IT Researcher
With an eye for innovation, Ann applies her strategic thinking and deep understanding of the healthcare industry to create a solid strategy for ScienceSoft’s growth in the medical IT domain. Ann focuses her research on the needs of healthcare providers, medical device manufacturers, software startups, pharmaceutical companies, and other major market players to help tackle their challenges with technology.
