The basis of excellent healthcare lies in patient-centered care that takes into account backgrounds and unique needs of different individuals. PHRs allow patients to have a more customized experience and communicate directly with their healthcare professionals. Patient-centered care has also been linked to a patient’s capacity to maintain personal health and adhere to complicated treatment regimens. It is the professional obligation of nurses to teach patients how to access their PHRs, where to get credible information, and what to look for in terms of potential adverse effects and results of their treatment plan. Electronic health records are frequently accessible through a healthcare facility’s website; it would be critical for this page to include provide connections to the relevant electronic health records.
Using a PHR and EHR is a technique frequently used to assist patients in obtaining a better grasp on their own healthcare. These tools provide patients with an access to their medical records 24 hours a day every day of the week, which helps to foster a personalized medical environment. At the same time, the structure of the PHR teaches patients responsibility for their own well-being and helps them to better understand their personal needs (Nelson & Staggers, 2016). Giving patients access to their records and allowing them to be more active in their own treatment may encourage patients to become more hands-on with their own care, resulting in better results and increased satisfaction.
Patient opposition to the use of PHRs is one of the most serious issues with them, particularly among older and less technologically literate demographic. Many patients are concerned about privacy issues and do not believe that electronic records are safe or secure. With an aged and varied population, technology integration may be a foreign notion, making patients hesitant, reluctant, or unable to adjust to a new means of accessing health information and engaging with their healthcare professionals. Topical literature mentions the digital gap, which shows that patients with lower socioeconomic position, ethnic minorities, and the elderly are less likely to adapt to a PHR, according to study.
Another challenge a facility may encounter while implementing a new PHR system is employee reluctance, as well as the expenses and dependability of their present system. Management and upper-level personnel of the institution should be fully committed to the new program, and employees and healthcare professionals should be educated on the advantages of switching to a new system. Before physicians are expected to teach their patients, they will require extensive training to ensure that they are familiar with the system. The key to any change is to do it slowly and provide time for adaptation and adjustment while also offering ongoing education to employees. The administration might motivate the nursing stuff on multiple levels, including by emphasizing the positive contribution a PHR would make to the patients’ well-being. In Biblical terms, those who are physically ill require medical attention (Matthew, 9:12), and it is up to the nursing staff to provide it up to a due standard.
In conclusion, informatics has the potential to enrich and solidify the positive experience of patients in the modern healthcare system. Regardless of background and relevant illness, they are likely to benefit from the digitalization of the healthcare provision process. As such, it is important for nurses to know how to handle the resistance to change that is likely to be exhibited without disrupting patients’ autonomy.
References
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online. (Original work published 1769)
Nelson, R. & Staggers, N. (2016). Health Informatics: An Interprofessional Approach, 2nd edition, Elsevier.