Leveraging EHR Data Analytics to Improve Patient Care - Challenges Involved

Leveraging EHR Data Analytics to Improve Patient Care - Challenges Involved

There are many challenges involved in leveraging EHR data analytics to improve quality of care and meet value-based reimbursement goals.

www.medicaltranscriptionservicecompany.com

MTS Transcription Services United States

(800) 670 2809

Compared to paper records, electronic health records (EHRs) offer the potential to improve patient care and population health, and minimize the risks of serious medical errors. EHRs also save valuable clinical time and keeps costs down. By providing accurate transcripts of physician’s written notes and prescriptions, patient history and encounters, medical imaging and pathology reports, and other patient data, US based medical transcription companies have a critical role in ensuring data-rich EHRs. However, the key to harnessing the potential of automated patient records lies in leveraging EHR data analytics. Optimizing EHR use is essential for achieving success under the new value-based incentive programs that reward physicians that deliver on cost, quality and patient outcome measures.

EHR Data for Predictive Analytics Healthcare IT News recently reported on the results of a new survey from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). The survey reported that: -

31 percent of medical practices use their EHR analytics capabilities to the fullest extent

-

Another 31 percent said they deploy a combination of EHR analytics along with help from an external vendor partner

-

22 percent said they use some of their EHR's analytic capabilities

-

5 percent said they rely on an external vendor

-

11 percent of respondents do not perform analytics at all on their EHR data

Leveraging EHR data can help to reduce hospital readmissions, improve patient safety , and enhance the quality of care, but there are many challenges involved: •

EHRs are built for data input rather than for data extraction.

•

EHRs are not designed for data analytics, but as electronic information storehouses.

They are built to emulate paper records, which makes it difficult to interpret, aggregate or organize the records.

•

The data in EHRs is stored in silos that separate clinical, patient satisfaction and financial data and not in the regular workflow within the EHR. Therefore, physicians do not have access to the analytic data that will enable them to make better clinical decisions.

www.medicaltranscriptionservicecompany.com

(800) 670 2809

•

Data in EHRs may not be usable for analytics or its use may not be efficient. Data quality

issues

include:

heterogeneous

data,

missing

or

inaccurate

values,

dynamic/evolving data, and inaccurate or missing timestamps.

•

A major challenge is the ability to capture feeds in various data formats and combine the data into business intelligence analytic tools.

•

Healthcare providers lack analytics experts who can help them get the most out of their databases.

•

Health data security issues make it difficult to leverage or exchange this data purposed of analysis.

The good news is that rapid advances in platforms and tools are paving the way for leveraging the data available in EHRs and using it for predictive analysis. Many healthcare providers are working with consultants who can help them take full advantage of EHR systems. This will allow them to optimize their EHRs to improve care coordination and clinical outcomes and improve quality of care and meet their value-based reimbursement goals.

Outsourcing Medical Transcription can Ensure Accuracy in Clinical Data Clinical notes are a comprehensive resource for data analytics. However, a study titled Data Analytics with Electronic Health Records by a researcher at the University of Connecticut reported many challenges for handling clinical notes: ungrammatical, short phrases, abbreviations, misspellings, semi-structured information such as copy paste from other sources for lab results and vital signs, and more. Outsourcing medical transcription to an experienced US-based medical transcription company can overcome these issues. With a team of experts, a reliable company can provide error free EHR-integrated documentation of patient history and physical exam, SOAP notes, physician notes, lab reports, and discharge summaries. Such support is crucial for the physicians to ensure quality data in EHRs for data analytics.

www.medicaltranscriptionservicecompany.com

(800) 670 2809