Question

Can you tell me what are the optimizations for EHR systems are similar/different for acute care hospitals, ambulatory care, and specialty-specific organizations related to long-term care (e.g., nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice) and behavioral/mental health?

Answer 1

Definition:
An electronic health record (EHR) is the systematized collection of patient and population electronically-stored health information in a digital format. These records can be shared across different health care settings. Records are shared through network-connected, enterprise-wide information systems or other information networks and exchanges. EHRs may include a range of data, including demographics, medical history, medication and allergies, immunization status, laboratory test results, radiology images, vital signs, personal statistics like age and weight, and billing information.

EHR IN ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS:
Acute care is a level of health care in which a patient is treated for a brief but severe episode of illness, for conditions that are the result of disease or trauma, and during recovery from surgery.
An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient's paper chart. ... While an EHR does contain the medical and treatment histories of patients, an EHR system is built to go beyond standard clinical data collected in a provider's office and can be inclusive of a broader view of a patient's care.

AMBULATORY EHR:
Ambulatory electronic health records, on the other hand, are designed for use in outpatient care facilities and smaller practices. Medical professionals can access a patient's complete medical history, which is stored in an electronic database.

EHR IN LTC:
Long-term care (LTC) facilities are an important part of the health care industry, providing care to the fastest-growing group of the population. However, the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in LTC facilities lags behind other areas of the health care industry. One of the reasons for the lack of widespread adoption in the United States is that LTC facilities are not eligible for incentives under the Meaningful Use program. Implementation of an EHR system in an LTC facility can potentially enhance the quality of care, provided it is appropriately implemented, used, and maintained. Unfortunately, the lag in adoption of the EHR in LTC creates a paucity of literature on the benefits of EHR implementation in LTC facilities.

MENTAL HEALTH EHR:
A mental health-specific EHR provides the facility to compare patient data on both baseline and severity of illness. Providers can assess the patient's depression level by simply giving the scores based on the patient's answers.