INTRODUCTION
To ensure high-quality care, patient-physician communication is crucial throughout clinical encounters. The goal of numerous studies has been to enhance patient-physician communication. Patient-centered communication is fundamentally about taking patient priorities into account while setting priorities and making medical decisions. Approaches that are effective and scalable are required to encourage patient voice and get doctors ready to respond. The incorporation of patient interests in clinical interactions may be improved by using electronic health records (EHRs) to involve patients and healthcare teams.
HOW EHRS FACILITATES PATIENT COMMUNICATION
EHR systems can make it easier for primary care practices to incorporate patient preferences into scheduling and documentation. EHR tools can assist physicians’ work and patient involvement during face-to-face and telemedicine sessions. In contrast to earlier ad hoc educational efforts aimed at patients or clinicians, they may have a long-lasting impact on patient and clinician communications practices (Kohli &Tan,2016)
According to Kohli &Tan (2016), by encouraging patients to evaluate their test findings, observe patterns in their chronic diseases, participate in decision-making, and understand what is written in the plan of care, clinicians can utilize the EHR as a means to engage more sedentary patients in a participative model of care. Accessing web-based data, comparing the costs of brand-name and generic medications, printing self-help materials for stress management in the presence of new or ongoing stress factors, or printing multi-lingual healthcare information during clinical interactions are all simple strategies for activation even in the absence of chronic disease.
The invitation to access their electronic chart is likely to be viewed as an act of transparency that strengthens the feasibility and effectiveness of the patient-physician relationship by self-motivated and empowered patients. These individuals’ level of engagement is likely to stay high, and they may already be exhibiting healthy habits.
ADVANTAGES USING EHRS
Quick accessibility to patient records made possible by EHR makes it possible to treat patients more effectively. They improve the practice’s operational effectiveness while also assisting with treatment effectiveness. The majority of EHR allow clinicians a variety of health analytics that facilitate pattern detection, diagnostic prediction, and therapy suggestion from the healthcare provider’s perspective.
Physicians can instantly update patient data, providing other healthcare providers with an accurate, current patient file. This computerized record can connect every doctor or specialist who works on a particular patient. Continuity is particularly beneficial, particularly when a patient moves providers or visits a new doctor, because it spares doctors from having to begin from scratch by giving them a thorough foundation of the patient’s medical history (Staroselsky et al.,2006)
EHR interfaces with other platforms, including EMR, enable medical practitioners to maximize care continuity. Whenever patients require visits to specialists, manage chronic conditions like diabetes, or get ready to transition into in-home care for recuperation or hospice care. This EHR solution enables interoperability is crucial.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING EHRS
According to (Kohli &Tan2016), If an EHR is not updated as soon as new information is acquired, such as after a test or after results are received, everyone who accesses it could be receiving wrong or incomplete information. By the issuing practitioner and any specialists involved in the patient’s care, this could result in later errors in diagnosing, treatment, and health outcomes. Patients may be exposed to facts they may not fully grasp if they have free access to their medical records.
Time constraints may also restrict patient involvement in electronic chart reviews. Clinicians in a busy office setting may find it difficult to show the patient record due to other time-consuming chores if they lack computer proficiency and acquaintance with EHR software. Many EHR features that were designed to save time instead created new issues. For instance, even extremely easy procedures may necessitate physicians to scroll through several menus, pages, and lengthy lists during patient consultations, devoting a significant amount of time away from the patient to the computer.
Several accountability concerns, for instance, how to avoid the loss or damage of confidential medical data when switching from paper to digital records, are brought up by the deployment of an EHR system. This, in turn, could lead to therapeutic errors. In particular, if the medical data is intended to be easy to acquire because it is electronic, doctors may be held responsible if they cannot retrieve all of the data at their discretion. (Polito, 2012).
ETHICAL ISSUES RELATING TO ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT
According to McBride et al. (2018), All nurses aspire to uphold moral principles and conduct themselves according to their ideals, both personal and professional. Although individuals may be aware of an ethical dilemma and their obligations related to their work, institutional or personal obstacles may prevent them from being motivated to take action. Motivation and action can be hampered by conflicting personal ideals, such as the need to uphold one’s status or reputation. Institutional obstacles might also make it difficult to persist in doing the right thing. The moral voices of nurses may be silenced by a lack of supervising support, fear of retaliation, and hierarchical decision-making. These challenges could indicate an ethical climate inside the unit that discourages nurse moral agency and patient/family advocacy.
Electronic or handwritten patient care records are legal documents that, in some cases, may be cited in court. In order to establish their competency regarding the legal implications of documentation, nurses must produce clear and thorough reporting. Some EHR platforms are built as “fill-in” or template-style devices, automatically populating vital information such as lab results. The auto-fill feature may unintentionally result in the documenting of a clinical observation that may not fall under the clinical purview of a nurse. The culpability of that admission is unclear once information has been electronically produced and signed by the nurse (Polito, 2012).
CONCLUSION
Having access to government financial incentives, enhanced service quality, more ease and efficiency, and electronic health records are just a few of the many advantageous features that both patients and providers may take advantage of. They do, even so, also have a slew of disadvantages that should be considered, including some inconveniences and shortfalls, as well as potential privacy and cybersecurity concerns, the prospects of needlessly terrify patients, increased medical negligence liability concerns, and concerns with cost in terms of both money and time.
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