Enterprise risk management frameworks and applications

EMR

Electronic Medical Records

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) keeping can definitely add efficiency into the modern healthcare system. However, this efficiency might be associated with some hidden costs. One example of such a cost will be due to the loss of privacy that is allowed by shared records. Not only will doctors be able to see your entire medical history, but other agencies that you might not want to share information with will have access as well. Therefore, there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with the move to a digital system.

"Imagine a world where everything important about a patient is known to the physician the first time that patient presents," says Andrew Rubin, vice president for NYU Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates in New York City (Mann, N.d.).

Doctors have full access to a patient's medical health history has the potential to reduce errors and improve patient care. In many cases patients themselves cannot remember their full medical histories. Often things that could help doctors with a diagnosis slip through the cracks. However, if the system is digital and information is properly coded and shared effectively, and then this could definitely improve the quality of care across the board. There would be less chance that a diagnosis is missed because of missing information. "We need to be able to implement an electronic medical record where physicians can talk to each other about patients, and hospitals and physicians can communicate back and forth and share critical information on tests done and previous diagnoses, so that everyone involved has the patient's medical history at their fingertips (Mann, N.d.)."

However, some argue that the potential for privacy violations exceed the benefits for the quality of care and cost reductions that can be expected with a digital system. It's one thing to have your financial information online, but your health information is another story altogether; many people have real fears about what could happen if their medical records fell into the wrong hands (Mann, N.d.). One of the primary fears is that insurance companies could use this information to deny claims to individuals based on the knowledge of a full medical history.