ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS ARE PREFERRED BY CLINICIANS AND ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED PATIENT FLOW AT A LARGE URBAN SEXUAL HEALTH CENTRE

Abstract

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) functions include electronic ordering of investigations and receiving results, electronic prescribing, recording of clinical information and decision support software. Despite substantial investment in EMR systems, there has been little research to evaluate them. Our aim was to evaluate changes in efficiency and quality of services after the introduction of a purpose built EMR system, and to assess its acceptability by the doctors, nurses and patients using it. We compared the number of patients seen per hour within nine month periods before and after the introduction of an EMR system in a large sexual health service, in Melbourne Australia. A sample of record..