Electronic Health Records For Dummies

Focusing on outcomes

The good news is that healthcare IT, EHRs particularly, can improve the quality of care you provide to patients with chronic conditions. Many AHRQ-funded projects have found that by incorporating EHRs or other healthcare IT systems, practitioners can support improvements in outcomes for the chronically ill.

You can use the data you collect from your EHRs group management features to create outcome scenarios for individuals. Generally, for all of your patients with chronic conditions, you can focus on the following outcomes:

Physical

• Increased energy

• Increased activity levels

• Improved overall quality of life

• Better symptom management

• Increased self-efficacy

• Less physical discomfort

Emotional

• Fewer social limitations

• Psychological well-being

• Less anxiety or depressed moods

• Mental stress management

Clinical and Operational

• Improved partnership with physician

• Improvement in self-rated health status

• Lower healthcare costs

• Fewer clinical visits

• Fewer hospital stays

• Open communication with physician

• Fewer ER visits

A big benefit of using the EHR to manage chronic conditions is, of course, financial. Your practice can earn financial incentives for managing patients differently through the use of care groups. Meaningful Use; global payments; readmission rates; and incentives from health plans, the government, and quality organizations are all tied to how your practice successfully manages groups. You receive money ...