Intro to Electronic Health Records

Health Science Channel

20 Aug 201503:38

Summary

TLDRThe video script highlights the critical need for safe medical care, emphasizing the importance of accurate, timely information management in healthcare. It discusses the sobering statistic that one in ten hospital patients experience unintended harm, prompting healthcare professionals to improve patient safety and quality of care. The script outlines measures such as bar-coded medication systems and computerized order entry to prevent medical errors. It also explores the use of electronic health records for secure, efficient patient information management, with features that allow patients to monitor who accesses their records and the ability to limit access to sensitive information. The potential of these records as communication and research tools is also noted.

Takeaways

🏥 The necessity of safe medical care is emphasized for all individuals, regardless of age, highlighting its universal importance.
🔍 The current healthcare system has room for improvement in patient safety both domestically and globally.
📊 The World Health Organization estimates that 10% of hospital patients experience unintended harm, indicating a significant issue.
🛠️ The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report 'To Err is Human' revealed that medical errors cause 50,000 deaths annually, two-thirds of which are preventable.
💊 Measures such as bar-coded medication systems and computerized order entry are being implemented to enhance safety.
💻 The use of electronic health records (EHRs) is promoted for better management of healthcare information and patient data security.
🔒 Patients have the ability to monitor and control access to their EHRs, ensuring transparency and privacy.
🔑 Security features in EHRs include encryption and access logs, making them more secure than paper records.
📝 Electronic records serve as a central repository for patient information, aiding in communication and research within the medical field.
🛡️ Different EHR systems offer various features designed to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
🚀 The potential of computerized medical records to improve the quality of care while maintaining patient information security is underscored.

Q & A

Why is patient safety a crucial issue for both patients and healthcare providers?
-Patient safety is crucial because everyone, regardless of age, will require medical care at some point in their lives. Ensuring safe medical care helps prevent unintended harm and improves the overall quality of care.
What does the World Health Organization estimate regarding patient harm in hospitals?
-The World Health Organization estimates that one in ten patients receiving hospital care will experience some form of unintended harm, highlighting the need for improved patient safety measures.
How has the advancement of medicine affected patient safety?
-The advancement of medicine has made it more powerful, and if not used correctly, it can cause harm. This has led to a greater focus on using procedures correctly to ensure patient safety.
What was the significance of the 'To Err is Human' report by the Institute of Medicine in 1999?
-The 'To Err is Human' report was significant because it estimated that 50,000 deaths occur every year due to medical errors in the United States, and it highlighted that up to two-thirds of these errors could be prevented.
What measures have hospitals started implementing to improve patient safety after the Institute of Medicine's report?
-Hospitals have started implementing measures such as bar-coded medication delivery systems and computerized physician order entry programs to enhance patient safety.
What is an electronic health record and how does it benefit patient care?
-An electronic health record is a digital record that providers can use to keep track of all a patient's information. It has the potential to improve the quality of care by ensuring accurate and timely information is available to doctors.
How does an electronic health record enhance security and privacy for patients?
-Electronic health records enhance security and privacy by keeping a log of every person who accesses the record, allowing patients to see who has looked at their information and for what purpose. Patients can also choose to limit access to certain information.
What technologies are used to protect electronic health records from unauthorized access?
-Technologies such as encryption and secure access controls are used to protect electronic health records. Encryption turns data into a coded language that requires a specific code to unlock and access.
How do electronic medical records serve as a communication tool for doctors?
-Electronic medical records serve as a communication tool by providing a central location for patient information, which can be easily accessed and updated by healthcare providers to facilitate better coordination of care.
In what ways can electronic medical records be used for research purposes?
-Electronic medical records can be used for research by aggregating and analyzing patient data to identify trends, patterns, and insights that can inform medical practices and improve patient outcomes.
What is the importance of managing healthcare information and records in ensuring patient safety?
-Managing healthcare information and records is important for ensuring patient safety as it helps in delivering high-quality, accurate, and timely care. Proper management reduces the risk of errors and improves the overall efficiency of healthcare delivery.

Outlines

00:00

🚑 Importance of Safe Medical Care

This paragraph emphasizes the universal need for medical care and the critical importance of patient safety in healthcare systems worldwide. It highlights the potential for harm in modern medicine due to its complexity and power, contrasting with the past when medicine was considered safe due to its limited scope. The World Health Organization's startling statistic that one in ten hospital patients experience unintended harm underscores the urgency of improving patient safety. The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report, 'To Err is Human,' is cited, estimating 50,000 annual deaths from medical errors in the U.S., two-thirds of which are preventable. The paragraph also mentions the implementation of safety measures such as bar-coded medication systems and computerized order entry to enhance patient safety.

💻 The Role of Technology in Enhancing Patient Care

The second paragraph discusses the role of technology, specifically electronic health records (EHRs), in improving the safety and quality of patient care. It explains how EHRs serve as a comprehensive tool for healthcare providers to manage patient information efficiently and securely. The paragraph also touches on the security features of EHRs, such as patient access logs and the ability for patients to limit who can view their records. Additionally, it mentions the use of encryption and other technologies to protect data from unauthorized access. The potential of EHRs as a communication and research tool for doctors is also highlighted, emphasizing the multifaceted benefits of computerized medical records in healthcare.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Medical Care

Medical care refers to the services provided by healthcare professionals for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases or health conditions. In the video, it is highlighted as a necessity for all individuals at some point in their lives, emphasizing the importance of safe medical care for both patients and healthcare providers.

💡Patient Safety

Patient safety is the concept of minimizing harm and ensuring the well-being of patients during healthcare delivery. The video underscores the critical nature of patient safety, noting that healthcare systems worldwide face challenges in this area and that improvements can be made to enhance safety.

💡Healthcare Providers

Healthcare providers are professionals who deliver medical care and services, including doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff. The video discusses the shared responsibility of healthcare providers and patients in ensuring safe medical care and the role of providers in implementing safety measures.

💡Unintended Harm

Unintended harm refers to any injury or negative outcome that occurs during healthcare delivery that was not part of the intended treatment. The World Health Organization's estimate that one in ten hospital patients experience unintended harm illustrates the scale of the issue addressed in the video.

💡Medical Errors

Medical errors are mistakes made by healthcare providers that result in patient harm. The video cites a report estimating 50,000 deaths annually from such errors in the United States, highlighting the severity of the problem and the potential for prevention.

💡Bar-coded Medication Delivery Systems

Bar-coded medication delivery systems involve the use of barcodes to track and verify medications, ensuring accuracy in dispensing and administration. The video mentions this as one of the safety measures implemented by hospitals to reduce medical errors.

💡Computerized Physician Order Entry

Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) is a system where healthcare providers enter orders for medications, tests, and other treatments electronically. The video describes CPOE as a safety measure that can help prevent errors in the ordering process.

💡Electronic Health Record (EHR)

An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient's paper chart, containing all medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, and test results. The video discusses EHRs as a tool for managing healthcare information and improving patient care quality and safety.

💡Data Encryption

Data encryption is the process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access. In the context of the video, encryption is mentioned as a technology used to secure electronic health records and protect patient privacy.

💡Access Control

Access control in the video refers to the ability of patients to limit who can view certain information within their electronic health records. This feature is highlighted as an important aspect of security and privacy in EHR systems.

💡Communication and Research Tools

The video mentions that electronic medical records serve not only as a central repository for patient information but also as a means of communication among healthcare providers and as tools for research. This highlights the multifaceted role of EHRs in enhancing healthcare delivery.

Highlights

All people, regardless of age, will require medical care at some point in their lives.

The ability to have safe medical care is a crucial issue today for patients and health care providers alike.

Health care in this country today could be safer.

There are problems with patient safety around the world.

Health care professionals are working hard to improve both the safety and quality of patient care.

The World Health Organization estimates one in ten patients receiving hospital care will experience some form of unintended harm.

Health care was safe because it didn't do much; now medicine is powerful and can create a lot of harm if not used correctly.

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine estimated that there are 50,000 deaths every year from medical errors.

Up to two-thirds of medical errors can be prevented.

Many hospitals are implementing bar-coded medication delivery systems and computerized physician order entry programs.

The use of computers to better manage healthcare information and records is a key component of safety efforts.

An electronic health record keeps track of all your information and is used by providers.

Computerized medical records have the potential to improve the quality of care while keeping information safe and secure.

Patients can act and ask exactly who has looked at their record and what they were looking at.

Every system has different features and capabilities designed to help prevent intrusions from hackers.

Technologies to encrypt the data make the systems secure by turning data into a coded language.

Electronic medical records provide a central location for patient information.

Doctors also use electronic records for communication and research tools.