Electronic Health Records For Dummies

Explaining the benefits

To get your patients on board the EHR bandwagon, explain the benefits the EHR offers them, too. Yes, many of the benefits are for the practice, but patients can get a lot from the system, too, if they’re open to the new experience of managing their care in an electronic environment. By outlining the EHR’s benefits to your patience, you leverage their privacy and security concerns and gain valuable trust.

You’re not in this alone. Check with your REC for help with setting up your practice’s patient outreach program or get tips from other practices or hospitals that have already gone live.

Your primary message to patients should be that they can use the EHR to participate in their own care. Immediate access to patient records allows physicians to display information on the spot to answer questions, confirm information accuracy, and brainstorm ideas with the patient. You should relay that information, among other beneficial activities, to your patients. No matter what kind of communication campaign you use, the message should be the same across the board: Your patients receive short-term and long-term benefits from using the EHR. Here are some common benefits to highlight for your patients:

Faster and more efficient office visits.

Better accuracy in chart notes; fewer handwriting issues that cause errors.

Quicker availability of labs and test results.

Physicians ...