Spreadsheet evaluation of computerized medical records: The impact on quality, time, and money

Abstract

Information and communication technologies are presumed to play a critical role in improving effectiveness and efficiency of clinical care. Although the most promising directions of technological development are microcomputer-generated computerized medical record systems, documenting their value has been a major challenge for health care providers. This paper proposes a 15-item spreadsheet instrument for evaluating computerized medical records, and demonstrates how it was experimentally applied to a 6-year long experience at three sites. In conclusion, preliminary implications and guidelines are drawn with regard to practice and research in this area.

Using electronic health records to save money

“…There are anecdotal reports suggesting that EHRs provide financial benefits by helping to reduce costs and improve revenues, but few formal cost-benefit analyses have been done. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Our analysis indicates that there is a positive net financial return from using an electronic medical record system. From 2005 through 2008, a significant reduction in total and mean single specialist costs was observed.…”

Bottom‐up or top‐down?

“…Clinical information systems have been widely implemented in Israel since 1990. For almost 20 years, the EHR system Clicks Ò has been used by the majority of primary care physicians in Israel, as well as in many secondary care clinics and in hospitals (Pliskin, 1994;Pliskin et al, 1996). Since the two largest Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in Israel, which provide medical care to about 80 per cent of the population, have adopted this application as their mandatory organizational EHR system, and a third HMO has partially adopted it (covering an additional 10 per cent of the population), almost all primary care records in Israel and the vast majority of secondary care records are fully computerized and highly integrated via this EHR system.…”