“Legal Implications of Electronic vs. Paper Charts”
Paper vs Electronic Records: Are digital records better than paper records?
Advantages of electronic records
- Easier to read
- Subspecialty notes are grouped together
- Improved confidentiality
- Electronic prompts help assure that medications and cares are timely
- Can be accessed from more than one location
- Entire record is available all the time
Disadvantages of electronic records
- Not as much detail recorded
- When there is nothing new, there is nothing recorded
- Entries can look repetitive
- Digital entries do not trigger memory of events as well as personal handwriting
- Not all modules are reviewed by all staff