9
Volume2 Issue6
|
CDA
at
W
ork
HowareEHRsdistinguished from the
typesof recordscommonlykeptby
dentists?
There is a lot of confusionbecause the
terminology is fairlynewandhasnot
been standardizedbetweencountries.
EHRs are kept inacentral repositoryand
combine information fromdifferent health
careproviders. EHRs areaccessibleby
different providers, andcanbepresented
indifferentways toprovidersdepending
on their specificneeds.While improving
access toapatient’shealth information is an
important benefit, themainvalueof EHRs
is theopportunity toanalyzedata froma
largenumber of patients inorder tobetter
understandwhatworks andwhat doesnot.
This knowledgecan thenbe incorporated
intodecision support tools that allowhealth
careproviders to improve thequalityof the
services theyprovide to their patients.
Incomparison, electronic
medical
records
(EMRs) or electronic
patient
records (EPRs)
are simplyelectronic substitutes for paper
charts. EMRs andEPRsdonot need tobe
connected toacentral repository, theycan
resideentirely inaprovider’soffice.
Howclosearewe toeverypatientand
everyhealthcareproviderhavingaccess
toanEHR?
Weareveryclose toeverypatient having
at least oneEHR, butmoreworkneeds to
bedone toconnect the individual EHRs
that exist for the samepatient and togive
everyprovider access to the information
theyneed, nomatterwhere theypractise.
The issue is related to the settingwhere
thecare isprovided. If you’regettingcare
inahospital, chances areyouhaveanEHR
becauseEHRswerebuilt for publiclypaid
healthcareanddevelopedprimarily in
hospitals. If youget care indifferent health
regions, you’re likely tohavemultipleEHRs
that cannot communicatewitheachother.
How far isdentistry fromusingEHRs in
Canada?
Quite far actually. Very fewgovernments
have started to lookatdentistryor other
healthcare services that arepaid forprivately,
in termsof integrating themwithEHRs.We
have toconvincegovernmentsof dentistry’s
relevance toEHRs andof the improvements
that canbemade topatient careby
accessing the information stored inEHRs.
Dr.BenoitSoucy
Wespokewith
Dr.BenoitSoucy,
CDAdirectorof
clinicalandscientific
affairs, abouthow
electronichealth
records(EHRs)can
improvepatientcare
andwhat’sneededto
getCanadiandental
officesconnected
toEHRs.
The Future of
ELECTRONICHEALTH
RECORDS INDAILYDENTAL
PRACTICE
Q
Q
Q
What isanelectronichealth record?
Anelectronichealth record (EHR) refers to the systems that
makeup the secureandprivate lifetime recordof aperson’s
healthandhealthcarehistory. These systems storeand
share such informationas lab results,medicationprofiles,
keyclinical reports (e.g., hospital discharge summaries),
diagnostic images (e.g., X-rays), and immunizationhistory.
The information isavailableelectronically toauthorized
healthcareproviders
(Definition: CanadaHealth Infoway)
