Title: How to Improve EHR with the Help of AI
1How to Improve EHR with the Help of AI Electronic
health records (EHRs) are useful, but did you
know that they could be even better? Its true.
But usually, this improvement isnt a solo
effort. Artificial intelligence (AI) could
provide the tools your practice needs to fully
use and appreciate your EHR. Heres how. Extract
data First and foremost, electronic health
records are records that contain data. Despite
all their potential applications, EHRs are
worthless if medical providers arent able to
access the data within them. Different software
systems incorporate artificial intelligence in
different ways. Some use machine learning (ML), a
component of AI that uses algorithms and
technologies to locate patterns and develop
determinations. Researchers have found that
processing EHR data could help machine learning
systems recognize and use such information. For
example, ML tools could use algorithms to find
and analyze information about social determinants
of health, which are environmental conditions
that could influence peoples health, well-being,
and quality of life. Document information Findin
g data is important. So is documenting it. After
all, if medical practices dont record
information, its very difficult, even impossible
to use. Professionals wont know where their
patients are in their treatments, wont be able
to reference data in the future, might end up
repeating their work, or might unintentionally do
things that hurt patients because they lacked any
warnings. Some EHR systems use AI speech-to-text
(also known as speech recognition) functions.
Speech-to-text tools convert language spoken out
loud into written language on a page. AI and EHR
tools might record interactions between medical
providers and patients. The AI applications
automatically add information into the patients
records even as their conversations continue.
2Such recording processes gather and store
information, enabling practitioners to use it in
the present moment and in the future. By shifting
some work to technology, it also eases notetaking
and paperwork burdens and could help prevent
professional burnout. Maintain
accuracy Recorded conversations also provide
other benefits. They ensure accuracy. Clinicians
could check recordings to learn what patients
actually said during their appointments instead
of trying to construct their conversations from
their memory. It works the other way, too, as
professionals could study recordings and
transcripts to see what they said and did (or
didnt say and do). This could motivate them to
contact the patients again and take further
action. Using AI to record conservations and
gather health data compiles data directly from
patients with no one in between. Such direct
contact eliminates the possibility that people
mishear, misunderstand, or mis record vital
health information. Recordings from appointments
might also contradict other information in
patients files. If there are differences,
medical professionals could correct
inconsistencies in patients records or
investigate if there are issues, they need to
address further. Customize usage Incorporating
AI in EHR systems could also create customized
solutions for specific practices and
issues. Customization is necessary in so many
aspects of the medical field. Doctors receive
different kinds of training, work with different
types of conditions, and prescribe different
kinds of treatments. Using one type of EHR
systemor one type of anythingfor every kind of
medical practice isnt practical. So customized
solutions incorporate AI, EHR, and other tools
for specific instances. One study used an AI
model to group patients who were experiencing the
same disease in similar ways and then analyzed
patterns in their treatments and outcomes.
3- After that, the model compared the groups with
similar disease experiences to specific patients,
which helped predict how different treatments
could determine possible outcomes. - This study used AI to predict the success of
certain drug regimens for people with type 2
diabetes. It helped select medications for the
majority of the studys patients, even if they
required multiple medications. Since EHRs list
medications, conditions, and other health
information, combining them with AI could help
providers access, store, retrieve, and apply
pertinent data. - Diagnose conditions
- AI tools and EHRs could do more than predict
treatment success. They could also diagnose
conditions and predict their progression. - As with other AI applications, diagnostic models
use algorithms. The algorithms could compile
patients symptoms, asking why the symptoms are
occurring and which conditions could be causing
them. - By using existing data from patient records and
knowledge about conditions, the AI tools could
help doctors make quick, accurate diagnoses. This
diagnostic ability could be especially useful in
remote situations or areas that dont have enough
doctors to see patients in-person. - Predictive models could help medical
professionals - Make educated guesses about the probability of
conditions and determine if they should conduct
additional testing. - Only test patients at high risk of developing
certain conditions. - Determine whether to begin treatments, use
different approaches, delay care, or study the
cost-effectiveness of certain types of
treatments. - Professionals could use EHR and AI tools to make
predictive models that analyze different
outcomes.
4Its not science fiction or a Big Brother
scenario. Researchers have developed a program
that functions as a smart EHR system. When a
medical professional types a word such as
cancer into the system, this information will
be linked to other relevant information, such as
lab results, prescriptions, and data from other
records that could help the practitioner learn
whats happening with the patient. By seeing the
big picture of a patients health, a practitioner
has quick, easy access to information that could
help them diagnose, understand, discuss, and
treat. Create agency AI and EHR could also help
patients learn and decide. Being diagnosed with
cancer or another life-changing condition is
scary. AI tools could help patients determine if
theyre likely to develop certain conditions and
how well certain treatments would treat
them. Patients would have more data at their
disposal. Such information could help them decide
if they want to undergo tests, submit to
additional tests, or attempt certain
treatments. With AI tools, patients have more
knowledge, which could help them obtain more
agency over their health. This confidence could
provide hope and strength, assisting them
mentally during a challenging time
physically. Artificial intelligence and
electronic health records could help medical
professionals and patients. Contact us, Eye care
leaders to learn about EHRs and how they dont
just store information but transform it.