Paper Charting vs Electronic Charting

It is not easy to leave the old and traditional habits, but modern ways come with their own set of advantages. Both types have advantages and disadvantages, but when you keep each one on the weighing machine and weigh their advantages and disadvantages, you should decide which one to prefer.

But isn't it obvious that electronic charting can provide more efficient and advanced features, which paper charting can never supply? Also, electronic charting has the upper hand when it comes to errors. So if we see electronic charting as an obvious choice, but if you are still unwilling to accept this fact, then you should go through their differences in detail.

Paper charting is the traditional way of recording patient data and information. It requires a lot of paper works which is very time-consuming. Moreover, it isn't easy to keep all the records organised. On the other hand, electronic charting offers a completely automated way of recording patient information and data. It saves time and effort because all the records are stored in a particular database or software.

One of the biggest advantages of electronic charting is that it eliminates the chances of human error, as all the data is entered into a computer or software. It also offers a secure way of recording and storing information, as all the data is protected and encrypted.

Ultimately, it comes down to what kind of convenience you need. Electronic charting is the way to go if you are looking for a more efficient and organised way of recording patient information. On the other hand, if you are looking for a more traditional way of recording patient data, paper charting might suit you. But, keep in mind that paper charting can be more time-consuming and prone to errors than electronic charting.

Let's understand more about the differences between both types.

The difference in paper record vs electronic charting

To help you make a proper decision, all the valid differences between paper records and electronic chartings are listed below.

The paper record is a manual preparation of patient history using pen and paper, whereas electronic charting is a digitalised method of preparing patient charts.

• There is a large probability that errors can occur in recording patient history in electronic form, whereas there is a very minimum chance of error in electronic charting.
• Paper records are prone to get misplaced, but electronic charting has a cloud feature, so it cannot be misplaced.
• Electronic charts are easily accessible, and it takes no time to transfer them from one place to another, whereas paper records can be transported, but it either takes a lot of time. If you share its pictures, it won't provide clarity and won't be handy.
• Electronic charting is expensive if it is a one-time charge, but subscriptions cost you approximately the same as the cost of all the stationary.
• Electronic charting only takes up a little physical space for storage, but paper records keep piling and taking up much space. Then
• Finding a paper record will consume a lot of time, even if arranged properly, but that is not the case with electronic charting - any file can be found within minutes using the search option.
• Electronic chartings are also embedded with various advanced features, for example, its analytics tools. Using which doctors can reach a solution sooner. But paper records have no such features, so doctors have to do a proper checkup.

Benefits of Electronic charting

Electronic charting is a solution to various problems in the health infrastructure. It could be claiming insurance, accessing patients' medical history, etc. So there are a lot of benefits of electronic health records.

1. Convenience and Accessibility: Electronic charting makes accessing patient data from anywhere easy. It also helps in saving time due to its easily accessible feature. It also helps in saving money as it is cost-effective.
2. Reduced Errors: Electronic chartings reduce errors compared to paper records, which are prone to many manual errors. These errors can lead to misdiagnosis or other complications in treatments.
3. Advanced features: Electronic charting comes with various features that help improve the quality of healthcare services, including analytics tools, automated reminders for appointments and tests, etc.
4. Easy Maintenance: Electronic charting is easy to maintain as it requires less physical space for storage. The data is also securely stored on the cloud and can be accessed anytime from anywhere.
5. Insurance Claiming: Electronic health records help claim insurance as the data is already stored on the cloud. They provide accurate information that is required for insurance claims.
6. Integration: Electronic charting can be integrated with various other software programs, which makes it easy to access data from different sources. This helps in providing better quality healthcare services.
7. Data Security: Electronic charting comes with various data security measures, which help keep the patient's data secure and protected. This allows for unauthorised access to the patient's data.
   Overall, electronic charting is a great way of improving healthcare services and providing quality care to patients. It is a cost-effective and secure way of maintaining patient records, which helps in providing better healthcare services. Electronic charting has numerous benefits and is a great way to ensure better healthcare services. These reasons clearly indicate that electronic charting is the future of healthcare and is here to stay.

Conclusion

As time changes, lifestyle changes. In the current generation, people are in a hurry and don't even care about their health. Then the diseases are attracted to them easily. So even medical infrastructure needs to grow to tackle so many patients every day. So electronic medical records meaning is one system that helps healthcare manage the huge lines of patients taking less time than before.

Also, it is already high time, and in case you are still sitting attached to the traditional pen and paper system, you need to change it now. This is because Electronic chartings are the future. The earlier you install electronic charting systems, the earlier you return to the competitive market healthcare industry.

FAQs

Isn't it early to install Electronic charting systems in India?
There is no better time than now to take a step ahead. Also, India is the perfect place to install digital medical records systems because of its vast population. To manage them every day we need something which will help in saving time.

Are there any Electronic Charting Systems available in India?
There is a list of electronic charting systems available in India, so go through thorough research and, based on your suitability, get one for your Health facility.

Do we need to teach our care employees and doctors how to use EMRs or EHRs?
It is relatively easy to operate an EMR or EHR, so one should go through the training phase, and they will learn the process within no time.

How to differentiate a correct EMR from a bunch of fake ones?
Check whether the EMR is certified or not. If it is not certified, getting one is not advisable. You should look for CMS or ONC-certified EMRs.