EHR Software to Save Healthcare Industry $78 Billion Over Five Years

EHR software is expected to save the global healthcare industry $78 billion between 2014 and 2019, according to a new report from Juniper Research. The report, Digital Health, Remote Monitoring & EHR Cost Savings 2014-2019, analyzes the effect of digital infrastructure on new healthcare models like accountable care organizations. The accountable care model bases physician payment upon patient health rather than cost of treatments, marking a critical shift in perspective in the medical industry.

The report finds that EHRs will become integral to health care success by connecting stakeholders, devices and medical records. However, it cautions that the healthcare industry will face challenges in two main areas: a lack of randomized controlled mobile health trials and the global healthcare industry’s diverse nature.

Even so, the industry will see positive developments as regulatory officials continue to embrace digital healthcare and impose less stringent regulations on digital healthcare companies. Progress will also be driven by the popularization of technologically advanced user interfaces like Apple’s HealthKit and Samsung’s SAMI, which aim to connect medical information from a variety of personal and clinical devices and cloud-based platforms.

Integration with patient portal systems is also expected increase the value of EHR software in coming years, as patient portals promote patient engagement, which can lead to improved health outcomes. The software also streamlines workflow, increasing productivity and saving valuable time on administrative tasks.

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