Electronic Health Records: Patient Care and Ethical and Legal Implications for Nurse Practitioners

Electronic health records (EHRs), with their adoption incentivized as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, are now a ubiquitous part of the health care landscape. Although these systems promised to improve the quality of patient care, increase efficiency, and reduce costs, health care providers are finding that current EHRs instead require time-consuming data entry, can interfere with patient interactions, and cause medical errors. Nurse practitioners should implement practical tips and best practices for navigating and successfully using EHRs, as well as risk management strategies to ensure better patient care and avoid malpractice litigation or licensing issues.