Pros and Cons of Paper Charts vs EMR Systems

When it comes to the discussion of paper charts vs. electronic medical records (EMR) systems, there are pros and cons on both sides that must be considered. From cutting down redundancies in patient details to boosting accessibility, EMR systems have a lot to provide medical professionals and their patients alike. However, there are also certain downsides to implementing an EMR system that should not be ignored. In order to make the best decision for your practice, it is essential to weigh all the pros and cons of using paper charts vs EMR systems. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of these pros and cons.

PROS:

1. Reduced redundancies: One of the primary benefits of using an EMR system is that it can help to lower redundancies in patient information. With paper charts, it is easy for significant details to get lost or misplaced. This can often lead to duplicate tests being ordered or wrong medications being prescribed. Having said that, with an EMR system, all of a patient’s information is stored in one central location. This makes it much easier for healthcare professionals to access and update the information as needed, which can ultimately help to strengthen patient care.

2. Improved accessibility: Another advantage of using an EMR system is that it can improve accessibility to important medical information. With paper charts, there is always the risk that they could be lost or misplaced. This can make it difficult for health care experts to access the information they need when they need it. However, with an EMR system, all of a patient’s information is stored in one central location that can be easily seen by anyone with the proper permissions.

3. Better decision-making: Another benefit of using an EMR system is that it can help to develop decision-making by healthcare experts. With paper charts, it can be difficult to get a full picture of a patient’s health background. This can often lead to incorrect diagnoses or treatments being prescribed. However, with an EMR system, all of a patient’s information is readily available. This allows health care professionals to quickly and easily review a patient’s entire health background before making any actions.

4. Better communication: Another advantage of using an EMR system is that it can help to improve communication between medical care professionals. With paper charts, it can be tricky to keep track of who has seen which chart and when. This can often lead to important information getting lost in the mix up. On the other hand, with an EMR system, all of a patient’s details is stored in one central location. This allows medical care experts to easily see which colleague has accessed the data and when.

5. Enhanced efficiency: One final benefit of using an EMR system is that it can help to increase efficiency in the medical care setting. With paper charts, a lot of time can be lost searching for lost or misplaced charts. This can often lead to delays in care. On the other hand, with an EMR system, all of a patient’s info is stored in one central location. This allows health care professionals to quickly and easily access the information they need, which can help to boost patient care.

CONS:

1. High initial cost: One of the main negatives of using an EMR system is that it can be very expensive to employ. In many cases, the upfront cost of an EMR system can be prohibitive for small practices.

2. Difficult to learn: Another down side of using an EMR system is that it can be complicated for health care specialists to learn how to use the technology. In many cases, extensive training is required in order to use an EMR system successfully.

3. Time-consuming: Another downside of using an EMR system is that it can be very time-consuming to key in all of the information into the program. In many cases, this can lead to slow downs in patient care and attention.

4. Very little customization: One final problem of using an EMR system is that they can often be very limited in terms of customization. In many cases, EMR systems are only specially designed to work with particular types of practices. This can make it complicated for small practices to find a method that meets their needs.

While there are many benefits to using an EMR system, it is not always the correct option for a practice. Some practices may find that they are better off sticking with paper charts or only using electronic health records for particular aspects of their enterprise. No matter which route you decide to take, make sure you carefully weigh the pros and cons of each option and choose the system that will work best for your particular practice. If you’re still uncertain what system is perfect for you, don’t be reluctant to contact us today. Our team can help you figure out which system would be appropriate for your unique needs and give you a demonstration of how it would work in your office.