Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Health Records & How to Make EHR Useful

Ever since electronic health records (EHRs) became less of an experimental novelty and more of a routine, there has been a lot of debate around them. Some of it was spurred by the past inefficiencies in the technology’s development, some by its inherent drawbacks – but overall, EHRs are now being more widely accepted than ever. Some of the major factors here are the growing need for patient engagement, the increasing agency of the patient, as well as the desire to alleviate the administrative burden for HCPs and HCOs.

In this article, we explore the advantages and disadvantages of EHRs, first from the general point of view, and then from the perspective of the different stakeholders whose routines depend on the processes directly influenced by EHRs.

How do EHRs work?

Handling patients’ medical histories on paper is way more difficult than it sounds, if only because of the need to manually update them every once in a while. So naturally, with the advent of affordable computers and internet connections, it was only a matter of time before the whole process started to digitize itself. An EHR is essentially a digital version of a patient’s medical history, with additional security measures to ensure authorized access. In terms of implementation, it’s a real-time interoperable system that’s supposed to help track the anamneses, and thereby increase the quality of care and reduce the administrative workload.

The main principle on which EHRs operate are:

1. efficient data collection
2. secure storage
3. integrations
4. facilitated access

In practice, that means an HCP or a laboratory can input patient data, eliminating the need for physically bringing in the records. Then it’s stored on cloud or on-premise servers, following the regulations like HIPAA (in the US), GDPR (in the EU) and so on.

But the most interesting consequence is that EHRs can also integrate with other systems via APIs, meaning telemedicine, pharmacy policies and billing systems are also at play here. Particularly telemedicine has really taken off from the EHRs’ shoulders, with EHR-integrated consultations increasing appointment efficiency by nearly 50%.

As of today, the adoption of electronic health records is increasing. In the US, 88.2% of office-based HCPs and 96% of non-federal hospitals have adopted EHR systems in one way or another. Meanwhile, other countries have varying levels of adoption but also steadily opt for EHRs or related practices.

Discover the case study about implementing patient portals with lab results and EHR-like approaches in Latvia.

The overall advantages of EHRs

Since EHRs serve a lot of stakeholders in the healthcare process, it’s a good idea to differentiate between the benefits (and drawbacks) that are universal, and those who have relevance for separate stakeholder types. Here, we just look at the general pros and cons, and for the role-specific ones, please look at the next section in this article.

So the general advantages (for everyone) are:

1. Improved access to patient information
2. Enhanced coordination and interoperability between hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, labs, and insurance companies, for better continuity of care (which also translates to better overall efficiency)
3. Reduced administrative burden (by means of automating appointment scheduling, prescription processing, etc.)
4. Fewer medical errors and better safety (up until EHRs were introduced, in many countries, it was up to the patient to provide information about their allergies and suchlike)
5. Cost savings for organizations (both healthcare institutions and insurance companies)
6. Better compliance and data security (EHRs now have to abide by the rules set up by HIPAA and the likes, meaning data encryption, audit trails, etc. are the norm, lifting the threshold above anything paper-based workflows could provide)
7. Faster billing and insurance processing
8. Improved patient engagement (since EHRs are one of the “molecules” that make up patient portals)
9. Research has more data to draw upon (especially with infectious disease outbreaks) Scalability and customization for different organization and business types.

The general disadvantages of electronic health records

However great the advantages of EHRs are, there are some inherent, innate drawbacks to them (that can still be mitigated). The main ones are:

1. EHR implementation and maintenance is not free
2. Data security is now in a different realm, with more risks (however, regulations are helpful here)
3. The learning curve – in some regions, EHRs are already habitual, in some, they require the staff to get used to the innovation
4. Technology and possible outages are now a factor
5. Screen time instead of paperwork – meaning that while with paper records, communication was worse since physicians were only required to enter limited amounts of health information; now that EHRs are in place, this means HCPs are required to enter more information for the sake of interconnectability
6. System conflicts – while health information sharing is becoming better by the year, there still are instances of EHR systems that lack seamless interoperability; but that one is soon to be solved what with the sheer amount of effort directed that way
7. Where there were typos previously, there can now be potential for misinterpretation, and overreliance on automation can lead to clinical decision fatigue.

The main users of electronic medical records (pros and cons)

So far, we have talked about the benefits and drawbacks of electronic health records from the general point of view, without looking at what the different stakeholders have to say. Now, we’re heading on to the individual fields, since that is where the real evolution of EHR-based software is heading.

Healthcare Providers

HCPs, including not just doctors, but also nurses, specialists and administrators, are the first category of users to feel the transition to electronic medical records. First of all, there is the possibility to access and update patient records instantly, as well as a better understanding of medical history. Importantly, it’s easier to enter and track diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans, order tests and procedures, and so on. Perhaps the best innovation is being able to better coordinate with specialists. This reduces delays in diagnosis and treatment, leading to a 15-20% faster decision-making process in emergency settings. Plus, as many as 30-35% of physicians experience reduced paperwork time. The final benefit is more possibilities for preventive care.

However, there are also concerns, like (paradoxically) increased administrative burden, with doctors spending an average of 16 min per patient visit on EHR-related tasks. Plus, not all EHR systems are convenient in terms of UX, with 70% of physicians citing electronic record usability problems as a major burnout factor. And in some situations, there’s still not enough input from the EHR: physicians override 90% of drug interaction alerts, reducing their effectiveness. Such are the fields for improvement so far.

Healthcare Organizations

Now, hospitals, clinics, and other organizations have their own likes and dislikes about EHR implementation. On the one hand, EHRs centralize patient records, the “one source of truth” being the formula, with in-built regulatory support. There are also benefits in the form of managing the administrative tasks like appointment setting, billing, and insurance claims. Operationally, hospitals are now increasingly using EHR data to track organization-wide resource utilization.

A study found that EHR implementation can reduce paperwork-related expenses by up to 50%, allowing staff to focus more on patient care. Organizations using EHR-integrated billing systems report 30% faster claim approvals and a reduction in denied claims.

Finally, there’s a clear win for drug development, with more data flowing in and better possibilities for representing the population in a study. The challenges, apart from the implementation costs, include interoperability and data silos, since it’s still not that easy to share patient data across systems of different types. A 2023 report found that only 55% of healthcare organizations achieve full interoperability with external providers, leading to gaps in patient history and treatment coordination.

Patients

Patients are another major group of EHR users, mostly interacting through patient portals and enjoying a better communication routine with HCPs. The main factor here is the possibility to access one’s own medical history and lab results, thereby giving more agency. Studies show that 92% of patients who use online portals find it easier to manage their healthcare compared to traditional paper records.

Plus, there’s improved medication management, with adherence rising about 23% among EHR-using patients. This is only one aspect in the general patient engagement puzzle, though, since with better communication, about 60% of patients using EHR report better engagement with their healthcare teams.

The most common concern among patients is, unsurprisingly, data security. In 2023 alone, over 100 million patient records were compromised due to healthcare data breaches, and the healthcare industry is now mostly focused on this risk. The second order of business here is making patient portals easier to navigate, with 30-40% of patients being dissatisfied with the UX they provide.

Also, as everywhere else, interoperability is a major field of advancement for now, meaning in some cases, the burden of transferring data still does fall to the patient. Only 55% of healthcare organizations report full interoperability with external providers.

Insurance companies

Finally, insurance companies are also affected (mostly positively) by EHR introduction, mostly with expedited claims processing. With reduced documentation reviews, claim approval times dwindle up to 30%.

Other factors include risk assessment, which is important for premiums and coverage eligibility, as well as fraud detection and care coordination. The main concern here is data privacy and patient consent, while interoperability is also a factor but one that is more or less easily mitigated with custom tech.

What software areas are associated with EHR management?

The most important thing about EHRs is that they don’t just exist as their own type of software, but also give rise to the implementation of various systems that can address user-specific problems. Based on our own experience in the field, here are the most commonly sought-after solution types:

#1 Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS)

CDSS analyze data from electronic health records to provide real time insights, suggest treatments, and support decision making. These are mostly used as EHR-backed “digital assistants” to HCPs and HCOs, and are mostly hoped to help in reducing medical errors (e.g. by altering about otherwise missed contraindications).

#2 Telemedicine platforms

EHR have given rise to a new generation of telemedicine systems, where doctors can access patient records and anamneses, thereby giving more validity to the entire practice of online consulting. This trend took up during the pandemic, but has proven to be a viable direction for evolution afterwards, especially for some fields.

#3 Patient portals and mobile health apps

The very possibility for the patient to look up their records is important for their own decision making and engagement during appointments. Further, portals as systems allow to communicate with HCPs more efficiently, while mHealth apps are becoming indispensable for patients with certain conditions, letting them be more proactive in managing their symptoms.

#4 Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) & Medical billing software

RCM software is, by now, a good tool for streamlining the operations at both HCOs and insurance companies. It integrates with EHR to help automate billing, claims submission, and verifications, which means minimizing the costs associated with manual processes.

#5 Population health management systems

Most of us learned about the benefits of large-scale population health management recently around 2020, but for some companies and organizations, this has been a concern for a long time, even before that. These platforms aggregate EHR data from multiple sources to identify health trends, track disease outbreaks, and improve community-wide health initiatives.

#6 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Predictive analytics tools

Once AI got into the picture, the importance of EHR as the “great data aggregator” has risen even more. The practical applications of predictive analytics here range from individual cases (e.g. predicting deteriorations and relapses) to business-wide ones (hospital resource allocation tactics) to potentially worldwide effect, like assistance in drug discovery.

#7 Custom EHR integration solutions

Finally, there is a group of unique niche solutions that solve very peculiar problems by relying on electronic medical record integrations. Some of these work to eliminate data silos, some are aimed at tailoring workflows, and some are meant for pharmaceutical R&D.

Conclusions

The future of EHRs lies in custom software solutions that address these limitations and enhance the overall efficiency of healthcare operations. Whether it’s optimizing clinical workflows, improving patient portal usability, ensuring seamless data exchange, or integrating AI-driven analytics, tailored software solutions can unlock the full potential of EHRs.

Our team specializes in creating scalable, secure, and user-friendly healthcare applications that streamline operations and improve patient care. Get in touch today for a consultation and discover how custom software can help you overcome EHR-related challenges and achieve your goals.