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MAINTAINING MEDICAL RECORDS

The Healthcare system has changed through technology, predominantly in terms of

electronic medical records. Miller, R. H., & Sim, I. (2004). Medical records are the most critical

documentation stored in a medical office. The medical record contains the analysis of the health

condition of a patient as it includes medical history, treatment information and test results on the

patient's disease. Medical records can be stored in paperless or paper files. Electronic Medical

Records (EMRs), a digital collection and retrieval of a patient's health records, are becoming

popular over paper records.

Most hospitals have adopted the EMRs system, and this has helped provide accurate,

complete, and up-to-date information about patients, thereby enabling quick access to patient's

records for more efficient care. Also, EMRs has reduced medical errors and provided accurate

record aiding in more efficient diagnosing of patients.

EMRs enable accurate coding and billing. Medical centers require proper documentation

of patient's records. Coding describes the health problems of the patients, which steers the

patient’s bill. Any inaccuracy can lead to problems with health insurance companies and health

regulating bodies, eventually attracting fines. EMRs technology enables proper documentation

and contains the patient's databases.

EMRs track patient healthcare costs and utilization that include the number of tests, a

patient's visit, and all services on that patient. Data taken is used for budgeting, allocation of

resources, and calculating costs. This EMRs protect patient's confidentiality as it prevents

unauthorized access to patients' medical records.

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Challenges of utilizing medical records

EMRs are costly hence hindering its utilization as hospitals have to purchase the software

and employ experienced IT staff. Also, the lack of interoperability is a challenge as systems

cannot be able to communicate with each other in various institutions for patient’s records.

EMRs play a role in physician's burnout due to tiresome user interface as more amount of time is

needed for data entry. This lowers job satisfaction and reduced patient care. Also, there are slow

systems, either due to poor networks or software.

Medical Assistants and billing and coding professionals should learn both paper and

paperless methods as there is slow adoption to Electronic Medical Records, Clayton, P. D.

(1996).. EMRs are prone to change and are revolutionized every now and then, making it

difficult to learn one system. EMRs, in general, are advantageous over paper records, and these

make many health institutions adopt an electronic way of medical recording.

Medical Assistant role in the medical insurance process

Healthcare coverage is a sort of protection that takes care of the expense of your well-

being, related agent costs like medical cost or surgical costs, Mathis. B. (2011, February).

While working as a Medical Assistant or Billing and Coding professional, knowing

medical insurance would benefit me in that I will be proficient in billing out claims both for the

medical facility I work for and for the patient. I would benefit from knowing various types of

medical insurances as I will be involved in billing. I would know different advantages given by

insurance agencies alluded to as "additional items." I would undoubtedly look for good

medicinal care for patients as well as advising for the importance of purchasing medical

coverage to secure themselves, Cutle, R. J. (2000). Patients will free themselves from budgetary
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worry due to costs associated with different insurance companies. Knowing the payers will

prevent unnecessary billing problems assuring medical centers of payment. I would know what

the insurance company covers for each patient. I would organize for restorative treatment in

other hospitals under the insurance cover stated in case medication fails in the hospital I work

for. This knowledge will benefit the patient as I will advise on terms of different health insurance

companies before purchasing an approach.

References

Miller, R. H., & Sim, I. (2004). Physicians’ use of electronic medical records: barriers and

solutions. Health affairs, 23(2), 116-126.

Barrows Jr, R. C., & Clayton, P. D. (1996). Privacy, confidentiality, and electronic medical

records. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 3(2), 139-148.

Cutler, D. M., & Zeckhauser, R. J. (2000). The anatomy of health insurance. In Handbook of

health economics (Vol. 1, pp. 563-643). Elsevier.

Ames, E., Ciotti, V., & Mathis, B. (2011, February). Meaningful abuse the rush toward EHR

implementation. hfm healthcare management association.