Perspectives: Electronic records: A double-edged sword for health care professionals, by Kristen Swift, Esq. published in Business Insurance, 9-1-2024

In today’s world, where constantly advancing technology has aided the pursuit of more thorough and efficient health care, electronic records have emerged as both a blessing and a curse for medical professionals. While these technologies can potentially transform patient care, they also generate potential liabilities.

Digital documentation platforms offer health care providers numerous benefits, such as improved patient care, instant and secure access to records, and streamlined workflows. Electronic medical records replace paper charts, while electronic health records are more comprehensive, containing documentation on patients from all doctors and medical service providers, allowing providers to access health data more holistically and put the full scope of a patient’s health picture in view. Unfortunately, these advantages are often accompanied by significant risks to providers and possibly their patients, such as documentation errors, dual or competing documentation policies, and vulnerability to cyber breaches or other data security incidents.

Risks to providers

While EMRs and EHRs provide obvious benefits, they also introduce several risks and challenges. 

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