A 65-year-old man comes to the emergency department via ambulance after being in a car accident. He is currently unresponsive and has no family members present. He does have a wallet and identification and his car has out of state plates. Without a medical record of past history, medications, test results, or previous medical diagnoses, it is difficult to know how to treat the patient. At this hospital they do have links to a national EHR database. By entering his name and birthdate, the healthcare team can see that the patient has a history of an ischemic stroke and is on Coumadin. The patient also has diabetes and a history of heart failure. The healthcare provider can review the patient’s current medications, previous test results, past history, and assessment findings.

1.

How does having access to a patient’s previous medical records improve patient care?

2.

Why is the EHR not currently used widely in the United States?

3.

Create a concept map with the patient at the center that shows how an EHR can impact the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care.