Professional Matters Optometry & Dispensing
Standardisation of electronic health records in eye care called for by RCO
Standardisation of electronic health records in eye care called for by RCO
Key Message
Standardised electronic health records (EHRs) are essential to safe and effective patient care, ensuring consistent, accurate, accessible data across healthcare settings.
They enable digital interoperability, allowing eye care professionals in different settings to access the same up-to-date patient information.
• Standardisation refers to the consistent use of defined clinical data fields in EHRs to record patient histories. Interoperability is the ability of different IT systems to communicate and seamlessly exchange this standardised data.
• Current fragmentation of EHR systems in eye care – characterised by data silos and poor interoperability – compromises patient safety and care continuity. In England alone, NHS trusts use at least 21 different EHR systems, many of which are unable to share critical information.1 Additionally, primary care optometrists face challenges accessing and updating EHRs and NHS IT systems.
• There is an urgent need for all EHR systems to meet defined industry standards. This will improve access to care, enhance outcomes, and increase efficiencies across eye care services.
