I think the electronic health record is a productive way of attaining a thorough health history of a patient, especially in instances in which a patient is unresponsive. The electronic health record improves efficiency between hospitals- no need to track down and contact the hospital for records. 

Health Info Net is an organization that allows health care providers to access patient information from any hospital that a patient has visited or been admitted to in the state of Maine. The way in which health information is accessed is called the Health Information Exchange (HIE). Health Info Net was incorporated in 2006 and since then has been advocating for patient care by combining health information from unaffiliated healthcare organizations to create a single electronic health record, the HIE (HealthInfoNet 2021). This health record is accessed by providers across the state of Maine in order to provide better patient care. The health information exchange improves communication between providers and helps prevent pertinent information from being overlooked or forgotten. The HIE improves nursing care by providing a patient history that nurses can refer to when providing patient care. 

As a nurse, knowing that the notes and data that I record will be embedded into a single health record, I will want to make sure that what I am recording is as accurate and detailed as possible. This exchange allows for quick access to previous assessments and could allow me to trend vital signs and labs from the previous data and compare them to current data. Prior health history can be critical in determining the path a patient is heading towards and helping to prevent it.

Bearor, S., Yeo-Fisher, N. (2021). Maine’s Health Information Exchange. [Powerpoint Slides]