ECP Blog

6 Benefits of Electronic Health Records in Assisted Living

Written by Rachel Baumeister | Nov 25, 2022

What is an EHR?

An EHR or Electronic Health Record is a digital summary of a resident's health history. EHR software lets you view medications, diagnoses, provider information, care plans, and more. 

What does an EHR do?

An EHR replaces traditional paper health records, helps your staff and community remain compliant, reduces liability, and allows more centralized care. EHR records can be shared among care providers electronically and help automate the assessment to care plan process. After a completed assessment, a sophisticated EHR program will schedule personalized daily task lists for each resident. Provided cares can then be recorded and reviewed amongst care teams, providers, and family members.

Why do I need an EHR?

Remain Compliant

Regulations are ever-changing in the Assisted Living and Long-Term Care industry. A good EHR software provides templates that incorporate the regulations specific to your state and license type, helping you remain compliant. An EHR rich in out-of-the-box reporting can make surveyor visits and state audits pain-free. EHR software can help decrease citations with automatic assessment tracking and audit documentation. 

Reduce Liability

Incidents can happen, but with an EHR, they don't have to be a hassle. An EHR is a beneficial tool for recording critical incidents and conducting proper investigations to determine a root cause and implement successful interventions. When storing this sensitive data, EHR software can ensure your documentation is private and secure.

 

Offer More Person-Centered Care

EHR software keeps teams updated with each resident's unique needs and helping provide the best quality care possible. If a change in condition occurs and care plans are updated, an EHR centralizes resident data, making it easy for staff to review and deliver care that reflects those updates. Easy to use and easy to view EHR software allows staff to spend more time with residents to do what they do best, provide care. 

Are there additional benefits of an EHR?

Workflow Automation

EHR programs reduce the need for redundant data entry by streamlining resident information throughout the system. Rather than forcing you to fill out multiple forms and enter the same data in various places, EHR programs will automatically update the appropriate areas in the program for you. In this way, EHR software is a terrific way to keep all care providers on the same page.

Decreased Citations

Manual record-keeping leaves much room for human error. Electronic systems like an EHR significantly reduce your risk. EHR software allows you to set parameters for your staff to ensure they follow proper protocol. Some EHR software will even provide pre-built templates that incorporate your specific regulations.

Instant Notification and Alerts

An EHR gives a concise overview of your day and sends instant notifications reminding you of upcoming tasks or appointments. Some EHR software also allows you to set fully customizable alerts to work the way that you do. If you start to fall behind, an EHR should send you alerts, allowing you the opportunity to complete the task promptly. 

Fall and Incident Analysis

Unexpected incidents can occur at any time; With an EHR, your team can quickly record the factual details of the event at the time it happened in the software's resident record. In the Quality improvement area of your EHR, you can then receive analytics to review trends and implement a proper prevention plan. EHR software ensures you have legitimate documentation and good insight to reduce risks and keep documents confidential.

Mobile App

Increase efficiency and accommodate your on-the-go schedule with an EHR that supports a mobile app. Whether overseeing your community, calling a provider, or documenting a completed task, you can take your EHR wherever you go. Some EHR apps even include an offline mode, eliminating the need for paper backups.

ECP EHR for Assisted Living and Long-Term Care

ECP offers an innovative EHR that Assisted Living, and Long-Term Care professionals prefer four times to one over other EHR programs. Converting from traditional paper systems has never been easier with user-friendly software that simplifies and automates your current systems. With instant alerts, improved communication, better charting, and a convenient mobile app, your team can ensure that they provide the best care for residents. Not to mention ECP EHR incorporates templates that support regulations in all 50 states and internationally. As a result, you can be confident that you are remaining compliant and reducing your risk and liability, all while providing person-centered care.

Request a demo to learn more about ECP's EHR and to receive a live, personalized demonstration.

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