Ganesh Subbaiyan is the Director of Program Delivery for Healthcare vertical at KANINI. He champions technology-driven EHR innovations that prioritize patient engagement and collaborative care. Collating all his experiences working in the EHR space, he has put together his thoughts on how he envisions EHR technology companies to prioritize the end-users of the platform – providers and patients.
I’ve seen firsthand the evolution of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and the increasing potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the healthcare sector, having worked closely in this industry. In this article, I’ll share insights on the changing landscape of EHRs, the challenges and opportunities we face, and how innovative companies like PIMSY EHR are leveraging AI to empower healthcare providers and improve patient outcomes.
“The future of healthcare is about access and choice. We need to expand access to healthcare, embrace telehealth and virtual care, and empower patients with tools to manage their own health more proactively.”
– Ian MacDonald, Founder & CEO of PIMSY EHR
Challenges of EHR Companies and Solutions to Tackle Them
- Workflow-driven: EHR systems should mirror the natural flow of how clinicians think and work. Information needs to be readily available with minimal clicks, and the path from symptom assessment to treatment plan must be intuitive.
- Task-focused: Design elements should enable, not hinder, common tasks. For example, refilling prescriptions should require minimal data entry, with defaults and auto-population wherever possible.
- Visually Uncluttered: A clean interface that strategically uses white space and clear visual hierarchy allows providers to quickly find what they need, reducing decision fatigue and errors. Furthermore, EHRs should be adaptable and customizable to meet the unique needs of different specialties and care settings.
- Affordable Pricing: Designing the EHRs should align with the growing trend of offering flexible subscription plans, recognizing the varying needs and budgets of different practices, particularly smaller ones.
- Auto-structured Notes: Tools that intelligently structure notes based on conversational input can be a huge time-saver. Imagine a physician discussing a patient’s hypertension treatment – a well-designed system should intelligently insert relevant data under headings like “Blood Pressure,” “Medication,” and “Lifestyle Changes,” without the need for excessive clicks.
- Voice-to-Text Revolution: Voice recognition has come a long way, and it is exciting to see its potential. However, current implementations still need refinement. The goal should be to have voice-to-text that accurately understands medical terminology and its context, producing semi-structured notes that are easily editable.
- Less is More: The documentation of patient data shouldn’t be done just for the sake of it. We need systems that intelligently highlight what’s clinically relevant. For instance, a patient’s complex medical history could be briefly summarized, allowing us to focus on the critical points from the current visit.
“Medical session notes hold a treasure trove of hidden insights that can significantly enhance care delivery.”
– Ian MacDonald, Founder & CEO of PIMSY EHR
- Shared Care Plans: Moving beyond static discharge summaries, we need EHRs that facilitate the creation of dynamic, living care plans. These plans should be visible and editable (with appropriate permissions) by all members of a patient’s care team.
- In-Context Communication: Messaging features embedded within the EHR shouldn’t exist in a silo. A specialist requesting a cardiologist’s opinion, for example, should be able to do so directly from the relevant section of the patient record.
- Data Portability for Patients: Patients need a greater, more user-friendly role in their data. EHRs of the future should have patient interfaces that give them clear control over what information they share, with whom, and for how long.
- Accessible Records and Notes: Patients should have easy access to their own records, including clinical notes, in a format they can understand.
- Educational Resources: Imagine an EHR that automatically displays patient-friendly, trusted educational content linked to diagnoses or prescribed medications.
- Two-Way Communication: Secure messaging platforms built within EHRs can facilitate convenient communication between patient and provider, enhancing follow-up and streamlining tasks.
“Emerging technologies like Generative AI can be used in chatbots and virtual assistants to keep patients well-informed, engage them, and make them feel more involved in the process. For that, EHRs should have good patient engagement capabilities built within.”
– Ian MacDonald, Founder & CEO of PIMSY EHR
Limitations and Ethical Considerations of Technology Innovation
- The Digital Divide: Not everyone has equal access to technology or the skills to effectively use online portals and tools. We must design solutions that don’t worsen existing health disparities.
- Alert Fatigue: I’ve seen firsthand how excessive alerts and pop-up windows can interrupt workflow and desensitize physicians. We need smarter algorithms that present only the most relevant and actionable alerts.
- Bias Amplification: The design of interfaces or the way clinicians are nudged towards certain actions can subtly introduce bias into decision-making. It’s crucial to continuously audit for unintended consequences. Furthermore, the increasing reliance on AI in healthcare raises questions about transparency and accountability. We must develop and implement clear guidelines around the use of AI, ensuring that it’s used ethically and responsibly, with a focus on patient well-being and safety.