Cost-Benefit of EHR versus Paper Records

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Both electronic health records and paper records are designed to document and track health care services, as well as health conditions, treatments, and health histories of patients. Both have advantages and disadvantages, in terms of cost, ease of use, and overall effects on operations.
Similarities
Paper and electronic health records can both be organized in a logical manner, such as alphabetical order, by patient last name, for ease of access.
Both formats must be secured in some fashion, when not in use or when they are being shared between providers in different healthcare offices. Sharing of records via fax or email requires some measure of security, to meet HIPAA guidelines (Office of Civil Rights, nd). The use of pins and passwords is viable when copying or faxing paper records. It is also viable when sharing electronic records. Electronic records systems can provide a thorough audit trail of who accessed records and when. If security measures are used with devices like fax machines, audit trails may also be possible, if each user is assigned a unique user ID and/or password. In both paper records systems and electronic systems, providers must notify patients, in the event that unauthorized access has been discovered (Office of Civil Rights, nd).
Differences
The differences between paper and electronic health records are broad. They include differences in ability to secure health information, amount of labor required to maintain records, space requirements for storage, ability to read and understand information at a later date, and preservation of record integrity.
Security
Paper health records must be stored in an area that can be locked, when not in use. This means limited access to keys for locked storage areas is necessary, based on office staff roles and responsibilities. While in use, complete records storage areas may be left unlocked during the day, allowing easier access to unauthorized users, who may obtain data that can cause potential harm. However, if paper records systems are kept in areas of the office where patients and unauthorized individuals are not likely to enter, such as away from patient care areas and waiting ...