Mitchell, B., and Begoray, D. L. (2010). Electronic Personal Health Records That Promote Self-Management in Chronic Illness. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 15 No. 3.
In this article, Mitchell and Begoray expound on the need for patients to have adequate information regarding the care and management of chronic conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic conditions require intricate care demands and this calls for patients to have access, understand, and assess numerous sources of health information. The importance of self-management is stressed in the article, i.e. as it enables patients to live a fuller and more productive life.
Information on self-management of chronic conditions should be made accessible through electronic personal health records (PHRs). To ensure success of PHRs, the software used in the PHR should correspond to the literacy levels of the patients. I chose this article as it gives detailed study of the application of electronic health records in the management of chronic conditions, therefore increasing my understanding of the topic I was researching.
Thede, L. (2008). The Electronic Health Record: Will Nursing Be on Board When the Ship Leaves? OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, Vol. 13 No. 3.
Thede illustrates the importance of providing nationwide access to information regarding the health histories of individuals. This information can then be accessed by various healthcare providers from different parts of the country to facilitate treatment, even in cases where the patient is unconscious. This form of electronic health record is already used by some healthcare providers, but at a small scale, an example is the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) employed in some hospitals.
A complete record of individuals’ medical records, known as electronic health record (EHR), is made from electronic medical records (EMR) received from various healthcare providers and made available through a network. The article is vey informative as it offers an application of electronic health records in offering medical services based on the patients’ medical histories. Such a system enables providers to give precise diagnoses.
Thede, L. (2008). Informatics: Electronic Personal Health Records: Nursing’s Role. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 14 No. 1.
This article focuses on the need to prepare electronic personal health records (PHRs) that are helpful to the users. The issue of the usefulness of PHRs arises fro the fact that the records are created from information gathered from numerous healthcare providers. The challenge of creating a PHR from numerous providers stems from the fact that consumers themselves have to pay for the maintenance of the records, besides, providers presently unable to combine information provided by consumers into a single record. The author gives us insight into the creation of a PHR and how it can be a valuable tool. However the issue that arises is how they should be prepared and who should update the records. This article is important in understanding of EHR as it illustrates how a PHR can be made more useful to consumers. It also gives the process of designing a PHR.
Frampton, S. B., Horowitz, S., and Stumpo, B. J. (2009). Open Medical Records. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 109 (8). Pp 59-63.
Frampton et al focus their attention to the use of open medical records. An open medical record refers to medical information created by healthcare providers and made available to patients, these records enable the patients to view themselves through the eyes of the providers and have information on diagnoses and treatment alternatives. When patients have access to such information, they are able to play a major role in making decisions regarding the treatments that they are given.
The authors offer detailed information on how open medical records are used at Griffin Hospital, a community hospital based in Derby, Connecticut. The hospital is in the process of shifting from the use of paper to that of EMRs. The authors explore the challenges in using open medical records, such as the patients’ rights, privacy, and the confidentiality of the records. The article is vital to understanding how open medical records can be used to facilitate the provision of healthcare, and how such a system can be converted to an electronic media.
Thede, L. (2010.) Informatics: Electronic Health Records: A Boon or Privacy Nightmare? OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 15 No. 2.
The article delves on how care providers can effectively make electronic health records useful to consumers and still maintain the patients’ privacy. Thede reminds us of the fact that the privacy of information reduces with an increase in the number of people who access it. This fact deservedly raises concern as to the level of security that should be accorded to electronic health records. The author points to the fact that even though EHRs are not secure, neither are paper records. She further explores several options that can be used to make EHRs secure, none of which is foolproof. In the end, she contends that even though privacy of medical data is important, the benefits of EHRs outweigh this concern. The article is very informative in understanding the risks involved when using electronic records.
CMS Office of Public Affairs. (2010). Electronic Health Records at a Glance. Web.
The article was written by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a body created under the US Department of Health and Human Services. The article offers useful information on the state of EHR in the US. The paper mentions that under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, nearly $27 billion will be spent in the adoption of EHRs over the next ten years. The document further mentions that under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), financial incentives will be offered to healthcare providers that adopt HER and use the system to improve their services.
Since its enactment, the HITECH, in conjunction with other government and private agencies, has made several steps towards the adoption of EHRs. The document also gives a detailed analysis of the benefits of using EHRs. The article is richly informative towards understanding the adoption of EHR, and the future of this system in the US.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). (2011). PHR Pilots: CMS Personal Health Record Pilots in South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah. Web.
This article informs us of actual Personal Health Record (PHR) pilot programs that are currently being carried out in the US (in South Carolina, Utah, and Arizona). In South Carolina, the program is known as My Personal Health Record, South Carolina (MyPHRSC) and is available to all residents of the state free of charge. The article informs us of the technical aspects of the MyPHRSC, described as a secure, web-based application. Information is only accessible after a user has entered his/her login details. This article informs us of practical application of electronic health records and the findings. These findings can be simulated for larger geographical areas.
References
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). (2011). PHR Pilots: CMS Personal Health Record Pilots in South Carolina, Arizona, and Utah. Web.
CMS Office of Public Affairs. (2010). Electronic Health Records at a Glance. Web.
Frampton, S. B., Horowitz, S., and Stumpo, B. J. (2009). Open Medical Records. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, Vol. 109 (8). Pp 59-63.
Mitchell, B., and Begoray, D. L. (2010). Electronic Personal Health Records That Promote Self-Management in Chronic Illness. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 15 No. 3.
Thede, L. (2008). Informatics: Electronic Personal Health Records: Nursing’s Role. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 14 No. 1.
Thede, L. (2008). The Electronic Health Record: Will Nursing Be on Board When the Ship Leaves? OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, Vol. 13 No. 3.
Thede, L. (2010.) Informatics: Electronic Health Records: A Boon or Privacy Nightmare? OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 15 No. 2.