How the COVID-19 Pandemic Will Change Healthcare Reporting as We Know It

The pandemic has drastically changed our way of living. While life will mostly go back to normal after the pandemic ends, some aspects of healthcare will remain changed forever. Healthcare reporting, in particular, may experience permanent changes after the pandemic.

For instance, the CDC has implemented a new electronic case reporting (eCR) system for healthcare providers. Under this system, EHR integration and healthcare reporting will be more efficient and streamlined than ever before. Not only will this make healthcare workers’ lives easier, but it can also help researchers track outbreaks and other public health issues. Learn more about how healthcare reporting may change for the better after the pandemic now.

Healthcare Reporting and EHR Integration

Proper healthcare reporting practices and EHR integration can improve your organization’s interoperability.

medical worker holding tablet — The pandemic exposed many vulnerabilities in the U.S. healthcare system.

Importance of Healthcare Reporting

Healthcare reporting is crucial for any medical organization. Without it, they will not be able to address any problems or issues within their processes. Ultimately, this can prevent them from achieving better health outcomes for their patients. So, to ensure that they are operating efficiently, they need to regularly assess key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, data, and other important info to ensure they are performing well.

Organizations may also create healthcare reports for the public. These reports should be useful for consumers looking to make informed decisions about their healthcare. For many consumers, accurately judging the quality of their medical care is challenging. Writing concise and informative reports can help take this pain point out of their lives.

Importance of EHR Integration

EHR integration also plays a crucial role in the patient experience. By offering a fast and reliable tool for sharing patient healthcare data from one system to another, physicians can collaborate faster and more efficiently than ever before. This helps them cut down on tedious administrative tasks and focus on what matters most — their patients’ health.

New Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) by the CDC

The new eCR offers an automated, real-time exchange for case reporting.

two pharmacists looking at a computer screen — The CDC’s eCR offers secure, real-time information exchange between electronic health records and public health agencies.

Before the start of the pandemic, electronic case reporting (eCR) was limited in its scope and use. In the beginning, only a small number of EHR vendors had implemented eCR solutions into their systems. To help streamline the healthcare reporting process during the pandemic, the eCR team started eCR Now to enable the immediate and rapid deployment of eCR in more systems. As of February 2021, over 7,000 facilities are currently using eCR to submit COVID-19 case reports to public health agencies.

How Does eCR Now Work?

eCR Now automatically generates and transmits case reports from EHRs to public health agencies to review and make informed actions based upon the data. The data seamlessly and securely moves through different points of care in order to ultimately help healthcare professionals make smart decisions when it comes to outbreak management.

eCR for COVID-19 Reporting

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many vulnerabilities in the U.S. healthcare system. To manage healthcare during the pandemic, organizations are using eCR Now to improve their COVID-19 reporting methods. With eCR Now, healthcare organizations can decrease clinician burden, eliminate the need for tedious manual data entry, and improve their clinical workflow.

eCR now is compliant with HIPAA and state reporting requirements. Healthcare organizations that use eCR now can even earn credit through the Promoting Interoperability Program. After the pandemic, organizations will likely continue to use eCR for public health reporting.

Looking Ahead to the Future

How health IT firms like Iron Bridge can help you keep up with new reporting practices.

employees looking at medical files — Healthcare organizations need to stay up to date on the latest health IT technology and products.

Achieving interoperability remains a prominent goal for many healthcare organizations. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge the U.S. medical system, providers must look for new ways to innovate and keep up with its challenges.

The Pub Hub 2.0 by Iron Bridge

Since the onset of Meaningful Use, Iron Bridge has provided cutting-edge Public Health and Specialized Registry reporting clearinghouse solutions. In a time when immunization and vaccine reporting is more important than ever, organizations need reliable tech solutions like the Pub Hub 2.0 to keep up with demand.

As the healthcare industry continues to develop and enhance its technological capabilities,your company must keep up with these changes. Improved healthcare reporting and EHR integration will ultimately lead to better patient outcomes and happier support staff.

Does your company need assistance with implementing new and innovative health IT solutions? Iron Bridge’s team of IT experts can help you stay at the forefront of the medical industry. Contact the team today to learn more about our solutions!