An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users.
There is enormous data available in hospital registers and it needs to be stored upon a safe database where it can be compiled together and use for various purposes. The available healthcare information supports framework for medical science. It allows in performing experiments that were not possible 10 years ago. The years of progress on health information technology as reshaped the way healthcare is handled. It stores a lot of information of patient data which can be useful for researches. Electronic health records have contributed a lot to genome sequencing and biomedical research.[1] (Coorveits, et al., 2010)
As the population is increasing and there is change in diseases variants, so new medicines are needed to be developed by pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry combines with healthcare to do clinical trial and observational research for successful and efficiency of disease prevention, disease management and health strategies and programmes[1]. (Coorveits, et al., 2010)
Clinical research deals with study of health and illness of people. It helps us to know about how to deal with disease, prevent it, treat it. It involves human participants to benefit human population. Other things that fall under this are epidemiology, pathophysiology, physiology, health services, education, outcomes and mental health.[2] (University of Virginia,n.d.)
Electronic health records started to enter in early 1960’s in healthcare. It was first adopted by UK and Scandinavia in primary healthcare. Many pioneers were looking into the advantages of transferring paper-based to electronic recording systems. 90% of the data is transferred from paper-based to database. It has also played a great role in administrative purposes[1]. (Coorveits, et al., 2010)
Electronic health records will help in bringing the complex healthcare information to precise framework and will help in utilization of it in more ways for the functioning of efficient healthcare system. It will help in sharing of data globally.
Focusing on promoting electronic health record data
The features needed for efficient use are still lacking.
EHR system should have correctness, completeness, accuracy, security, confidentiality, integrity, general trustworthiness.
EHR should ensure the designated institution should follow the certain quality criteria to adhere to the protocols properly.
More than 1700 EHR quality criteria and tools have been developed and are currently maintained by European institute for health records.
The efficiency of database can be improved by involving patient or next-of-kin.
The use of mobile computing devices for entering information by the patient or staff themselves has directly connected to electronic health records.
Clinical trialsQuality assurance programs should be implemented to improve the incompleteness recorded in database on clinical trials[1]. (Coorveits, et al., 2010)
Legal and ethical aspects of using electronic health records for research
Patient’s data should be released only if allowed by patient or law. However, this information can be used by healthcare team for treatment, payment, administrative purposes.
Patient also holds the right like state, federal and legal rights to get a copy and information from his or her health record.
The access to records is safeguard by using passwords and changing the passwords often, palm, finger, retina, or face recognition.
The information disclosed is based on the profession responsibilities. Only the role-based privileges are provided according to the account logged in so all the members do not access the same information.[3]
Electronic health records promise improvement in health care system but still its implementation at all levels will take a time and may not be completed till deadline. It is important to know more about patients and health care providers viewpoint. The privacy and confidentiality will always remain the key point while dealing with electronic health records[4].
Ford E., Menachemi N., Phillips M.(2006). Predicting the Adoption of Electronic Health Records by Physicians: When Will Health Care be Paperless?. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association(13),106-112 . https://doi.org/10.1197/jamia.M1913
