By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: EHR: A Systems Analysis of the Medications Domain [BOOK REVIEW]
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Medical Records > EHR: A Systems Analysis of the Medications Domain [BOOK REVIEW]
eHealthMedical Records

EHR: A Systems Analysis of the Medications Domain [BOOK REVIEW]

Tim Gee
Tim Gee
Share
4 Min Read
EHR
SHARE

A while back I was provided with a review copy of the book, Electronic Health Record: A Systems Analysis of the Medication Domain, by Alexander Scarlat, MD. This book is intended to serve as a practical book about electronic health/medical records systems as used in acute care settings.

A while back I was provided with a review copy of the book, Electronic Health Record: A Systems Analysis of the Medication Domain, by Alexander Scarlat, MD. This book is intended to serve as a practical book about electronic health/medical records systems as used in acute care settings. (For the purposes of this review, the term EHR is intended to refer to both EHRs and EMRs.)

EHRThere are two audiences for the book. The first group includes clinicians with little or no expertise in information technology. There are plenty of books for clinicians that provide an introduction into the common capabilities of an EHR. Scarlat’s book goes a step further, providing the understanding and tools to be able to collaborate with the IT folks who are implementing an EHR so that clinicians can actively participate and communicate their needs and preferences in an unambiguous way. The second audience includes IT professionals who lack in depth knowledge and understanding of clinical workflows that are automated in the typical EHR. For them, the book details what is perhaps the most complex and challenging EHR application, medication ordering.

For several years, as EHRs have been implemented and used, there has been a growing awareness of the impact of EHRs on patient safety. This awareness revolves around the fact that how EHRs are implemented, how specific workflows are automated, can have a negative or positive impact on patient safety. The challenge here is that clinicians are not IT professionals and are seldom able to describe unambiguous requirements in a way that is easy to grasp by informaticists. Likewise, the vast majority of IT professionals lack clinical backgrounds, and struggle with understanding clinical workflows and how variations in those workflows can impact patient safety.

More Read

In Expanded Medical Systems, Video Bridges The Divide
In Expanded Medical Systems, Video Bridges The Divide
Embracing Change for Healthcare Transformation
TheVue, Episode 1: Patient Engagement and Adoption [PODCAST]
We’ll Have to Get to Know Patients Better
Infographic: EHR vs. Traditional Paper Records

Scarlat has done an excellent job of providing a set of basic tools that are easy for clinicians to understand, that can be used by clinicians to define safe and effective workflows as EHRs are implemented in an institution. The tools provided are structured system analysis tools using data flow and entity relationship diagrams. After an introduction to the tools, the book delves into the workflow detail of the medication ordering process – one of the most complex and variable workflows in acute care, and one that has perhaps the greatest impact on patient safety.

As an introduction to EHR design and implementation issues, the book also includes sections on user interface design considerations, clinical decision support systems (a common component in medication orders systems), the various kinds of reporting that results from the workflow, and interoperability standards and vocabularies.

As a consequence of reports of patient deaths resulting from the way EMRs were designed or implemented, and the growing awareness of direct patient safety impacts of EMRs on patient care, there has been growing controversy about the possible regulation of health care IT applications.

TAGGED:Alexander ScarlatElectronic Health Record: A Systems Analysis of the Medication Domain
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Image
Global HealthcareMobile Health

Mobile Health Around the Globe: The Real India – mHealth and Beyond

November 5, 2012

Nuance PaperPort Goes to the Cloud

August 3, 2011
facebook f logo
Social Media

Facebook Fundamentals: Being “Social” Where It Counts

September 28, 2015

Gaming for Better Health

January 25, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?