Over the past few years, robust government support for the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR) has played a pivotal role in fostering market growth. A notable example is the initiative undertaken by the National Health Service (NHS) in England, which aims to transition patient records to a 'largely paperless' format by the year 2020. The government's commitment to this cause is exemplified through various programs such as the Integrated Digital Care Fund, Nursing Technology Fund, and the NHS Innovation Accelerator scheme.
The Integrated Digital Care Fund, launched by the NHS in 2015, was specifically designed to facilitate the rapid transformation of health records from traditional paper-based formats to integrated digital care records (IDCRs). This initiative received substantial funding, with approximately USD 63 million contributed by NHS Trusts and local authorities to implement electronic information systems for seamless data transfer.
Similarly, the Nursing Technology Fund (NTF) was established by the Department of Health in 2012 to empower nursing service providers to leverage digital technology effectively. In 2015, an allocation of around USD 51 million was made to support the purchase of digital services for nurses, further exemplifying the commitment to enhancing healthcare through technological advancements. Comparable trends have also been observed in Canada, where over USD 10 billion was invested in implementing electronic health records (EHR) in 2014, as reported by TELUS.
These instances highlight the substantial government funding and initiatives dedicated to advancing healthcare information technology, providing a conducive environment for market growth in the forecast period.
The traditional healthcare system often encounters medical errors due to clinicians' lack of awareness regarding therapeutic guidelines and shortages. The implementation of EHR-EMR systems has proven instrumental in overcoming these limitations, significantly reducing medical errors at the patient level through efficient record-keeping and seamless information transfer.
Furthermore, EHR-EMR adoption has demonstrated positive impacts on the quality of care, leading to improvements in patient outcomes. Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools embedded in EHRs have increased adherence to evidence-based clinical guidelines, fostering effective care. A 2015 study published in the Canadian Family Physician Journal revealed that approximately 75% of physicians participating in the 2014 National Physician Survey were utilizing EMRs. Notably, 65% of these physicians reported that patient care had witnessed improvement with the application of EMRs.
This prevailing trend underscores the potential of EHR-EMR systems to enhance healthcare delivery, reduce medical errors, and elevate the overall quality of patient care. As a result, the market is expected to experience substantial growth during the forecast period, driven by the compelling benefits offered by these advanced healthcare information technologies.