EHRs to save billions
20 November 2008
A new study conducted in the US determined that electronic health records could save the U.S. health care system more than $19 billion annually.
According to a report from the Centre for Information Technology Leadership (CITL), a non-profit research centre based in Boston, EHRs can add value to the healthcare system through a reduction of waste and error, decreased administrative costs, and decreased clinical costs.
Providing EHRs to 80% of the population would cost $3.7 billion in start-up costs and $1.9 billion in annual maintenance costs. These estimates are based on a 10-year rollout.
Some specific findings included:
- $1.1 billion is expected to be saved by electronic medication renewals
- $9.2 million is expected to saved by the sharing of complete medication lists
According to Doug Johnston, Executive Director of CITL, improved quality of care will be the greatest result of a wide-scale rollout.
With EHRs, �patients can manage their healthcare through alerts and reminders that will enhance their compliance with medications and scheduled appointments. Involving patients more actively in their care should improve outcomes and overall satisfaction.�
Finally, the report emphasised the importance of ensuring security measures are robust and reliable.