GAO: EHRs Help Boost Care in Integrated Delivery Systems

Using electronic health records could help improve patient care within integrated health care delivery systems, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, Modern Healthcare reports (Grace, Modern Healthcare, 11/17).

For the report, GAO examined 15 public and private health care systems that integrate primary, specialty and acute medical care. Investigators found that EHR use is one of many strategies that integrated delivery systems use to support patient care (Dunn, Becker’s Hospital Review, 11/17).

Benefits of EHRs

In the GAO report, several health officials noted that EHRs had improved care quality by:

• Improving communication among physicians, patients and staff members;
• Increasing the availability of clinical information and patient population data (Modern Healthcare, 11/17); and
• Supporting care coordination, care protocols and disease management (Goedert, Health Data Management, 11/17).

The report also noted that EHRs equipped with electronic prescribing systems or computerized provider order entry systems helped reduce errors and curb costs (Pulley, NextGov, 11/17).

Challenges With EHRs

Although EHRs have the potential to improve care, the GAO report noted that significant financial and operational challenges still hinder health care providers’ ability to maximize health IT use (Modern Healthcare, 11/17).

For example, many health care providers face obstacles related to:

• EHR implementation;
• A lack of EHR interoperability;
• Insufficient financial reimbursement for care coordination (Becker’s Hospital Review, 11/17); and
• Changes in managers’ and physicians’ roles following health IT implementation (Modern Healthcare, 11/17).

Source: iHealthBeat

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