The implementation of Electronic Health Records in the US was a golden step forward in the healthcare industry. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers were able to document their data more effectively and consequently reduce the number of errors made in patient charts and claims. According to a survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2011, nearly 55% of physicians had adopted EHR systems for their practices. Almost 74% of the physicians surveyed admitted that EHRs had improved the efficiency of their medical practices.
However, ever since the CMS brought forward its regulations regarding detailed documentation and penalties for documentation and billing errors, entering patient data on a desktop screen became a huge hassle. Many physicians and nurses now spend more time on patient documentation than on the patient himself. Another problem faced by healthcare providers is that they have to record patient data and situations from time to time, and on paper because let’s admit it; they can’t carry a desktop computer with them everywhere. Hence a lot of precious patient time is consumed on double documentation; first on paper and then on the desktop EHR.
1. Charting on the go
Unlike computers, iPad’s don’t confine physicians to their desks in order to record patient data. Nor are nurses required to carry around heavy paper files and records to document the patient’s vitals and other treatment conditions. Physicians and clinical staff can now enter and store patient information on their iPads; and all while looking at the patient.
2. Simplified documentationDocumentation had always been a time consuming task for providers. The iPad EHR is a more simplified version of desktop EHR. According to a survey, documentation and charting time reductions of 23% were reported by physicians who had shifted to the iPad EHR.
3. Lab Ordering and Prescribing
Another recent advanced feature available in some iPad EHRs is the ease of Lab ordering and medicine prescribing. Physicians can now select a pharmacy or lab in their desired location and send lab orders or prescriptions without leaving their offices. They can also receive lab results on their iPad, which are then shared with the patient.
The iPad EHR has become the new trend that is Reshaping Medical Practice Workflows in the healthIT industry. Kelly Rakowski, managing director health provider practice at Accenture, stated that she has seen physicians enhance productivity by using iPad EHRs because of the ease with which they facilitate information sharing. The results of another survey of iPad EHR users concluded that iPad EHRs increase operational efficiency of medical practices by 30% and improve quality of care by 16%. These analytics prove that iPad EHRs are the perfect alternative solution for modern medical practices that are facing productivity loss because of reduced patient care time.
