Why Accuracy in Electronic Medical Records Is Important for Patient Care

Medical record errors can lead to serious issues. A single mishap, such as an incorrect medicine prescribed or an overlooked allergy, can compromise a patient’s health. All notes, updates, and entries must be accurate and legible. For those who are training to be Medical Administrative Assistants, this obligation is part of what you do.

Northwest Career College students learn these responsibilities through distance and practical courses, externships, and training under experienced instructors. With an expanding job market and robust career assistance, graduates can begin to make an impact day one.

What Are Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)?

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are digital counterparts to the paper charts kept within a physician’s office, hospital, or healthcare center. They hold crucial details regarding a patient’s medical record, diagnosis, treatment, medications, etc. In contrast to paper records, EMRs are kept electronically, which allows healthcare professionals to access and update patient records quickly.

As a medical administrative assistant, you will organize and maintain these records. Your role is to ensure that everything is accurate and entered into the system appropriately, enabling doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to offer the highest care available.

Why Accuracy Matters

You may be asking yourself, why is accuracy crucial to EMRs? In healthcare, minor errors can have critical results. Below are a few reasons why maintaining EMRs as accurately as possible is imperative:

Preventing Medication Errors

A leading cause of errors in healthcare is medication errors. If a person’s medication history is inaccurate or outdated, they may be put on something with an adverse reaction to what they are currently taking. For instance, if a physician is unaware that a patient is allergic to a particular medicine because the record wasn’t updated, it may result in a severe reaction.

Improving Communication Among Healthcare Providers

Several providers contribute to treating a single care recipient in healthcare. Whether it’s your primary physician, specialist, or nurse, all must have access to accurate information to make decisions. Proper EMRs mean that everybody involved with your care can access the same current data, minimizing communication and error risks.

Better Decision-Making

Physicians make treatment decisions based on the information in a patient’s EMR. If the information is incorrect or incomplete, it can cause a physician to make an ill-informed decision that could negatively impact the patient. Accurate records enable better decisions, enabling physicians to deliver the ideal patient care.

Preventing Duplicate Tests

Precise EMRs eliminate the duplication of patient tests. When a test or procedure is already performed for a patient, it should be indicated clearly in that person’s medical record to avoid duplication. This not only saves time and money but also minimizes patient discomfort.

The Role of Medical Administrative Assistants in EMR Accuracy

As a medical administrative assistant, you will be integral to maintaining accurate information entered into EMRs. Some of your responsibilities can be:

• Adding Patient Information entails capturing new contacts, medical history, or medication changes.
• Information verification: You will be required to verify and validate information with patients to ascertain that your records are accurate.
• Record Organization and Management: You will ensure that patient records are available and current whenever healthcare workers need them.

By being mindful of these points, you can minimize opportunities for error and enhance patient care overall.

How Accurate EMRs Impact Patient Safety

Precise EMRs are an integral component of patient safety. It is estimated that nearly 98,000 individuals die annually in the United States as a result of avoidable medical mistakes, and many of these involve inaccurate or incomplete medical records. With correct and complete information, healthcare providers can improve decisions, eliminate errors, and save lives.

The use of EMRs has already enhanced patient safety in numerous ways. For example, EMRs can warn clinicians of allergies or drug conflicts, averting dangerous errors. They can also monitor developments in a patient’s health status over time, enabling clinicians to identify issues early and treat them accordingly.

How You Can Make a Difference

As a future Medical Administrative Assistant, you will be part of those responsible for maintaining accurate and complete EMRs. By doing so, you will be assisting in enhancing healthcare and patient safety. With an increased number of healthcare facilities implementing EMR systems, there’s an increasing need for qualified professionals who know how to work with these systems effectively.

Enroll at Northwest Career College to begin your path to becoming a Medical Administrative Assistant. You will learn how to handle electronic medical records precisely and make a difference in patient care.

Precise EMRs are critical to delivering safe, effective care. Mastering the ins and outs of managing an EMR is your contribution to providing your patients with optimal care. Get started now!