EHR vs Paper for Better Care Management During COVID-19
                     EHR VS. PAPER FOR 
BETTER CARE 
MANAGEMENT 
DURING COVID-19
EMR VS PAPER DURING A PANDEMIC
Since the coronavirus spread globally in the past year, it’s changed the 
way doctors function in the workplace. Also, social distancing has put a 
financial strain on practices, especially on those that have not put in 
place communication technologies such as telemedicine to continue 
seeing patients.
Do EMR systems facilitate or hinder the delivery of better care during a 
pandemic? 2020 is turning out to be a good test case for this 
hypothesis.
EMR VS PAPER DURING A PANDEMIC
Here is what we have learned so far:
• Telehealth Software is essential for Social Distancing
• Paper records have limitations
• EHR Systems Optimize Workflow Especially During a Pandemic
• EHR Platforms Collect Quality Data
• Keeping Track of COVID-19 with EHR Dashboards
• Are Current EHR systems up to the mark?
TELEHEALTH SOFTWARE IS ESSENTIAL FOR SOCIAL 
DISTANCING
Since the virus is highly contagious, it would be irresponsible to allow 
high volumes of people into any facility. Therefore, hospitals, clinics, 
and small practices must implement the use of telehealth software to 
limit the spread.
It would be difficult for patients to practice social distancing if they 
don’t have access to telehealth systems. Any practice that still works 
on a paper system will have to see patients in person during 
emergencies, which can be detrimental to you and your employees.
PAPER RECORDS HAVE LIMITATIONS
Handwritten prescriptions and paper records can’t be shared over a 
computer system. Scanning machines could work, but this takes time, 
and handwritten digital faxes aren’t always clear. Moreover, if you don’t 
have the correct paper filing system, it can be challenging to find 
patient records.
It’s expensive to photocopy and store documents, and also it’s easy to 
destroy paper-based emergency health records. With digital EHR 
systems, you can share data with other hospitals from your PC or 
SmartPhone. 
PAPER RECORDS HAVE LIMITATIONS
Digital EHR records are easy to retrieve so you can assist patients and 
doctors with any information they may require. With a comprehensive 
EHR, you can do the following:
• Track patient medical history
• Structure treatment plans
• Allow access to evidence-based tools
• Electronically communicate and provide support
• Reporting and tracking population health
EHR SYSTEMS OPTIMIZE WORKFLOW ESPECIALLY DURING A 
PANDEMIC
Since COVID-19 struck, hospitals have had an influx of patients who 
have contracted the virus. At the time of writing, there have been 22.3 
million confirmed cases and 14.3 million recoveries globally. 
EHR software allows doctors to work fast because they can enter data 
quickly. The goal is to have patient records available to anyone who 
may need it. With EHR systems COVID-19 test results can be retrieved 
fast, which saves a lot of time and helps healthcare workers tend to 
more people in a day.
EHR PLATFORMS COLLECT QUALITY DATA
Switching from paper systems to EHR platforms helps you and other 
doctors collect quality data. For doctors to make decisions on the 
correct course of action, they need high-quality data from multiple 
sources. EHR platforms allow doctors and labs to share data through 
apps so they can stay up to date with stats and make informed 
decisions.
KEEPING TRACK OF COVID-19 WITH EHR DASHBOARDS
On these systems, you can create reports on who has the virus and 
who doesn’t. It helps healthcare workers keep track of relevant data to 
track, such as:
• Demographics
• Immunization status
• Laboratory test results
• Radiology images
• Allergies
• Clinical data relevant to a patients care
KEEPING TRACK OF COVID-19 WITH EHR DASHBOARDS
To make it easier for practitioners to view data on COVID-19 cases,  
many EHR systems have integrated a COVID-19 dashboard. Here are a 
few benefits you can experience with the COVID-19 dashboard:
• Country leaders can learn more about hotspots and surges
• Access to most of the country/state health systems
• Researchers can make predictions based on the dashboard’s 
information
• The ability to monitor virus patterns
KEEPING TRACK OF COVID-19 WITH EHR DASHBOARDS
ARE CURRENT EHR SYSTEMS UP TO THE MARK?
Many critics of EMR vendors have pointed towards the inability of the 
technology to share informatipn across systems effectively. They argue 
that all this valuable public health data exists in silos as EMR vendors 
have not been able to build genuinely interoperable systems that 
would have made dealing with the pandemic better.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Paper systems are outdated, expensive to maintain and decrease 
workflow, especially during a pandemic where there is much more to 
cope with.  EMR systems, though better than paper, are still a far cry 
from being able to collect and harvest valuable public health data 
needed for effective response.
Despite that, Electronic Health Records, eprescribing, and telemedicine 
software are the best bet we have right now to provide care in a 
socially distanced world.
Thanks!
Any questions?
You can contact us at: (661) 384-7070
or
[email protected] 
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