Electronic medical records – A review of cost-effectiveness, efficiency, quality of care, and usability

Abstract

Electronic medical records (EMRs), as they are more popularly known, are rapidly being accepted globally to ensure timely access to notes and a safer and quicker way to transfer information. It is an efficient way of delivering patient care. However, existing literature needs to be interpreted objectively, keeping in mind its many drawbacks. Different countries have different needs and health-care delivery models. Due to this, EMR systems vary worldwide. With giant strides being made every day in the use of software for various fields, the medical field has had to adapt to changes rapidly. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed this to even greater levels of adaption. This article extensively reviews the existing literature on its usability and key areas that one needs to pay attention to. Key areas considered in this review include cost-effectiveness, efficiency, quality improvement, and usability. The cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and usability may depend on the design and implementation of the EMR. EMR can improve the quality of documentation. The workflow becomes inefficient when both EMR and paper documentation are simultaneously used. Usability scores improve if end users are involved in the early stages of designing and implementing EMR.