What are the challenges of realising the benefits of electronic patient records (EPRs)? EPRs have the potential to transform health care delivery, improving quality, efficiency and patient safety. But simply ‘digitising paper’ is not enough. Although NHS trusts in England are on the cusp of achieving 100% coverage, few are using them to their full potential. To explore the challenges with benefits realisation, we conducted interviews with leaders in five acute NHS trusts in England, as well as in a leading US medical centre. The experience of the US, where many providers are several years ahead of the UK in EPR use, shows the hill to climb: reaching meaningful use of EPRs required time, investment and cultural change. The government urgently needs to set out a strategy to guide the effective use of EPRs in the NHS and ensure they’re used to their full potential. This should be supported by sufficient funding and locally developed implementation plans. Read more ⬇
Honorary Professor in Engineering & Applied Science at Aston University
1wThe single biggest policy that will shift the needle in improving benefits in the EPR is the Data Use and Access Bill to make patients’ data easily transferable across the NHS by applying information standards (#openEHR, FHIR, SNOMED, IHE) to IT suppliers and strengthening enforcement powers. ⬇️