Introduction
Unfortunately, Bright Road Healthcare is facing challenges with its current patient record system, PRS. This system, which has been used for about a decade, is outdated and no longer meets the healthcare facility’s needs. PRS has limitations in terms of accessibility, administration, and ease of use, causing inefficiencies and inconsistencies in patient record-keeping throughout Bright Road’s facilities. Bright Road has been exploring the possibility of implementing a new electronic health record (EHR) system to address these issues. Two potential options that have been researched are eTrail and Patient Data Systems. eTrail is a web-based system hosted in the cloud, while Patient Data Systems is software that would need to be installed on one of Bright Road’s servers.
Discussion
As a healthcare IT consultant, I have gathered information from several healthcare professionals to identify Bright Road Healthcare’s needs better. The new EHR system that is ultimately chosen will need to meet several essential needs, including accessibility, customization, data integration, and licensing costs. While both eTrail and Patient Data Systems have their strengths, it appears that eTrail may be the better choice for Bright Road Health Care Systems. A system that will cost less and be easier to install on any device is preferred (Aguirre et al., 2019). Thus, the cost of personnel training and system maintenance will be lower.
The web-based eTrail system allows for greater accessibility, which can address the current system’s deficiency in this area. Staff and patients can access this system from phones and tablets from any place, while Patient Data System requires installation on a server and is impossible to use on the go. Additionally, eTrail offers more extensive customization options, which can be particularly useful for Bright Road’s unique needs, which healthcare professionals asked for.
Conclusion
Furthermore, eTrail does not have a per-license cost, which can save the company significant money in the long run. Patient Data Systems has a price per license which will add up in large numbers considering that all staff needs access to the system.
Reference
Aguirre, R. R., Suarez, O., Fuentes, M., & Sanchez-Gonzalez, M. A. (2019). Electronic Health Record Implementation: A Review of Resources and Tools. Cureus, 11(9), e5649. Web.