EPR's Can Improve Quality of Care

A new study conducted by the Birmingham City University and the King’s College London have concluded that digital health records can improve the quality of care.

Using data collected from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the research discovered that the digitisation of patient records could prove beneficial by providing a 'rich source of data'.

“Analysis of such data can reveal patterns and trends in healthcare provision, patients’ profiles and their health problems", the paper that was published in the PLOS One journal stated.

“While a lot of effort still needs to be invested to integrate separate EHRs systems in order to generate a more complete picture of patients’ pathways, researchers and clinicians should make the most of existing systems owned by separate hospitals and NHS trusts,” the paper recommends.

This research further backs up previous comments made by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt - who earlier this year stated that the NHS would benefit substantially if they were able to digitise health records.

“I think we can both agree that the sooner the NHS across the whole UK goes electronic, the better", the 50-year-old Member of Parliament told the House of Commons as quoted by Health IT Central.

“This has been a big priority for this Government, and we have made big progress. More than two thirds of hospital A&E departments can now access a summary of people’s GP records, and we are going further every month,”