Topic 4 DQ 1 Responses

Response to Shelisha Roach

Hello, Roach.

Thank you for the great post. Indeed electronic health record (EHR) systems are vital

enablers of high-quality and safe care for healthcare organizations. EHR ensure safe keeping and

retrieval of patient records for healthcare purposes and facilitates decision-making and

communication between healthcare providers. Additionally, the systems enhance the efficiency

and accuracy of data entry. Healthcare organizations and providers communicate regarding

specific patient information, hence sharing patient records in the EHR systems (Bhalla et al.,

2017). Standardization allows consistency across different EHR systems, enabling easier

communication between hospitals and providers. I like the examples you provided in your

discussion and literature support as they provide insights into the benefits of standardizing

EHR’s data elements.

References

Bhalla, S., Sachdeva, S., & Batra, S. (2017). Semantic interoperability in electronic health record

databases: Standards, architecture and e-Health systems. Big Data Analytics, 235-

242. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72413-3_16

Response to Ronald DellaValle

Hi, Dellavalle.
 Your discussion is thought-provoking and educative. I concur that patient information

stored in electronic health records or medical records (EHR/EMR) is utilized to enhance

healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. EHR systems have multiple data types regarding the

patient that allow providers to tailor care to a specific patient. I agree that it is vital to standardize

EHR's data elements, considering that providers communicate with providers in other

organizations and transfer EHR data when caring for a specific patient (Gamal et al., 2021). I

agree that standardizing data elements would ensure consistency and facilitate care coordination,

which is critical in eliminating misunderstanding and increasing the efficiency and accuracy of

service provision.

References

Gamal, A., Barakat, S., & Rezk, A. (2021). Standardized electronic health record data modeling

and persistence: A comparative review. Journal of biomedical informatics, 114, 103670.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2020.103670

Response to Ginel Gordon

Hi, Gordon.

Thank you for an insightful and informative discussion. Indeed database management

systems support the collection, storage, and retrieval of data, an example being the EHR, which

does more than a typical DBMS. Providers use electronic health records to access patient

medication history, get medication reminders, and document clinical care. The current healthcare

system is more patient-centered, and standardizing EHR systems is an approach to promoting

patient-centered care across the care continuum and settings because it ensures data is
interoperable and can be shared easily among healthcare providers (Bhalla et al., 2017). I agree

that standardization also improves decision-making because data is consistent across systems.

References

Bhalla, S., Sachdeva, S., & Batra, S. (2017). Semantic interoperability in electronic health record

databases: Standards, architecture and e-Health systems. Big Data Analytics, 235-

242. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72413-3_16