Blogs

Home / Blogs

Three Advantages of Cloud-based EHR Systems

 

Download Picking Your Next EHR Free Guide

Documenting encounters is a crucial part of medical care. Unfortunately, it can be laborious to keep records clear and updated when you have hundreds or even thousands of patients coming in and out at any given time.

Electronic health records, or EHR, allow the management to simplify recording of patient data. The software contains standard medical and clinical data accrued in one medical care provider's office, including comprehensive patient history.

Automating the documentation process gives medical staff more time to focus on actual care practices. Aside from streamlined workflows, cloud-based EHR systems also offer three main advantages that practices should be aware of and capitalize on.

Advantages of Cloud-Based EHR

Security is a common concern when attempting to harness the power of the cloud. However, it is actually more secure when data is stored in a cloud as opposed to being managed through a server-based system. In fact, when an EHR is server-based, it is prone to human errors and physical glitches that may ultimately cause downtime. During downtime, practices run the risk of system collapse because of the inability to access critical patient information for the duration of time the server is offline.

Privacy is another advantage of cloud-based EHR systems that could prove especially useful for medical practices. Patient information that is kept and managed through the cloud is subject to comparable privacy standards as traditional patient records. Through cloud-based EHR systems, facilities including primary hospitals and local healthcare centers need not worry about keeping confidential patient information at their physical locations. It reduces the risk of patient information getting stolen, misplaced, and eventually misused.

Cost-efficiency is the third main advantage of using the cloud for your EHR. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges to using server-based systems is the upfront cost of EHR implementation. Because server-based systems require integration of proprietary hardware and software across the existing medical infrastructure, some systems can cost up to $50,000 or more just to lift off the ground. There are additional fees including licensing, maintenance, and frequent software updates. Cloud-based EHR systems do not involve any hardware installation or licensing costs.

Finding the Right EHR

A common pitfall of choosing an EHR is the failure to focus on the most important aspect of the decision - user interface. You'd want to find an EHR system with an easy-to-use interface that requires minimal workforce reeducation. Find an EHR that is built with functionality and workflow in mind. Design is a key factor since it is what you and your workforce will see and use every day.

The great thing about a cloud-based EHR is that you can fully customize it to meet your specific needs. So whether you're running a primary hospital or a small medical office, there is an EHR that will help streamline your recording process.