Title: How Nurses Are Using Health Informatics to Improve Patient Care - Electronic Health Reporter
Headings: How Nurses Are Using Health Informatics to Improve Patient Care
How Nurses Are Using Health Informatics to Improve Patient Care
Improved Documentation
Reduced Medical Errors
Reduced Costs
Improved Coordination of Care

Content: for example, an electronic record can provide information about a possible dangerous medication interaction or allergy that might not otherwise be immediately apparent. Armed with data, nurses can make quick decisions that keep their patients safe. Nurse practice error allegations and patient complaints are one of the leading causes of nursing board license investigations, disciplinary actions and malpractice lawsuits. Complaints have been surging in recent years due to the ease of filing complaints online. Health informatics allow standardizing many patient care decisions which makes it easier for healthcare organizations to limit their liability and assure compliance with the Nursing Practice Act and other medical care standards. In fact, in a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a majority of nurses reported that when they have access to EHRs, they have fewer problems with getting patients ready for discharge, fewer medication errors, and better quality of care. And when it comes to transfers between departments, nearly 15 percent of the nurses surveyed reported that information was more likely to be shared and less likely to “fall between the cracks” when electronic systems are used. Reduced Costs
Medical errors cost nearly $40 billion every year, and many of those errors are preventable with informatics. Not only does information provide nurses with alerts to avoid errors, it also helps to automate certain tasks, such as doctor note templates creation, both improving nurse productivity and preventing some of the costs associated with healthcare. Improved Coordination of Care
Nurses are often called upon to help coordinate the care of their patients.