How to Effectively Discover and Evaluate EHRs that Address Chronic Diseases

Electronic Health Records (EHR) companies are looking for ways to engage patients with chronic diseases as technology advances. Chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes strain healthcare systems. In response, some healthcare organizations are launching chronic disease management (CDM) programs to reduce the number of avoidable hospitalizations and adverse events by better managing the health of patients with chronic conditions.

Numerous healthcare organizations use health information technology (health IT) to support their chronic disease management initiatives. Effective use of cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) software can reduce practice costs while enhancing clinical workflow and care quality. There is no denying that health information technology (HIT) has the potential to change primary care organizations and chronic disease management, given the mounting evidence of the cost and quality advantages of using EHRs on a variety of chronic diseases.

EHRs are not designed to manage value-based care initiatives like chronic care management, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and other essential Medicare initiatives. Effective EHR use can enhance care coordination, simplify routine clinical procedures, and reduce practice costs. However, EHR systems are still held accountable for the rising rates of physician burnout, the deterioration of the patient-provider relationship, and the general inconvenience they cause to providers.

Even though the healthcare industry frequently disagrees with the efficacy of EHR technology, recent research indicates that EHR systems can enhance chronic disease management, leading to better patient health outcomes and, in the long run, less work for providers.

How EHRs are addressing Chronic Disease Management with Technology

1) Managed Care Program

A managed care program involving prescription adherence is essential to the success of a chronic disease management plan. The cost of medications remains one of the most significant challenges in organizations. Cost transparency in EHR workflow has aided adherence by providing providers with insights into patients’ pay and where their medications are obtained. Because many patients are on multiple medications that must be taken throughout the day, reminding patients to use pillboxes can improve medication adherence.

2) Telemedicine

Telemedicine made it easy for providers to check on their patients, especially those with transportation issues, medical disabilities, or other debilitating issues. Regular checkups can be completed on time with remote care without putting high-risk patients at risk. Telemedicine can create virtual relationships between patients and physicians through meaningful health coaching.

3) Encrypted Direct Messaging

Do your patients ask quick questions but decline to set up a virtual meeting? Does this happen to you as well? If so, secure direct messaging is a crucial EHR feature that can inform patients of a change in their health status, remind them of an upcoming appointment, or even ask a straightforward question. Frequently, secure messaging occurs within the patient portal. Patients should feel free to discuss their health and medications at any time with their providers.

4) Connected with Patient

The chronic care model strongly emphasizes a proactive team that keeps tabs on patients and informs them about their health journey and treatments. With the aid of technology, the way healthcare is delivered can be significantly altered. The term “connected patients” refers to a concept that emerged from the need to make the most of health resources in light of the expanding demands — this vision of connected health highlights two essential components—self-care and remote care. Self-care can lower the demand for care, and remote care can boost the supply.

5) Self-care

Self-care is critical in the management of chronic diseases. It entails motivating, educating, and providing feedback to patients about their treatment so they can manage their care and conditions daily. It can also encourage healthy behavior in people at risk of developing chronic diseases.

6) Remote Care

Remote health care entails monitoring, diagnosing, and communicating with the patient from afar. It goes beyond basic patient-physician communication by utilizing sensors to collect quantitative data. This can help to improve the quality of care. If a centralized mechanism reports the data, it can also increase efficiency for a multidisciplinary medical team.

Chronic Disease Management Technologies

Here is a list of technologies that can help with chronic disease management.

• Sensors

The sensor industry is expanding with reliable, affordable tools to capture, store, and transfer physiologic parameters, ranging from over-the-counter blood pressure cuffs to wireless oximeters to implantable glucose monitors.

• Communicators

To promote self-care, remote patients’ data from physiologic markers and information about the severity of their disease, clinical state, and functional status must be compiled and shared with healthcare professionals.

• Data Presentation

Providers must incorporate patient and physician data into electronic health records (EHR) to review, make decisions, and take appropriate action. The information must be understandable, encourage self-care, and be clear and meaningful for the patient.

• EHRs (Electronic Health Records)

Electronic health records (EHRs), which are still in the early stages of development, will frequently be accessible to patients who wish to obtain, store, and share their health information.

Summary 

This article demonstrates how EHRs can be used for chronic disease management and outlines how EHR addresses chronic disease management with technology. New care delivery models are necessary because managing chronic diseases is becoming more and more difficult. Connected health plans provide enhanced access, quality, and performance by encouraging increased self-care and enabling remote patient care. Giving care where and when patients need it is one of connected health care’s defining characteristics. The core of this vision is home monitoring of patients with chronic diseases, remote lifestyle feedback, and interactive patient-provider online communications. Now, when it comes to their healthcare, patients from remote areas of all ages are looking for simple, efficient, and affordable care.