Electronic Health Record (EHR) Typos

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have revolutionized modern healthcare by improving data accessibility, enhancing communication, and streamlining patient care. However, the digital nature of these records also introduces potential errors, particularly typographical errors, or “typos,” which can have significant clinical and administrative consequences. EHR typos can lead to miscommunications among healthcare providers, incorrect medical orders, delays in administrative processing and billing, and even compromised patient safety. Understanding the causes and impacts of EHR typos is essential for developing strategies to mitigate their effects.

EHR typos can arise from various sources, often related to human error and system design. One major contributor is time pressure, as clinicians frequently input data under tight schedules, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. Additionally, multitasking in high-stress environments, such as emergency departments or intensive care units, increases cognitive load and the probability of errors.

While designed to enhance efficiency, autocorrect and predictive text features can also inadvertently alter medical terms, leading to incorrect information being recorded. The use of speech-to-text software can introduce another avenue for errors, as misinterpretations of spoken words can result in inaccurate documentation.

Finally, user interface design also plays a critical role in the occurrence of typos. Poorly designed EHR systems with cluttered layouts, small text fields, or lack of confirmation prompts can contribute to data entry mistakes ^1–5.

Typos in EHRs can have serious consequences for patient care. A single misplaced decimal point in a medication dosage can lead to overdosing or underdosing, resulting in adverse drug reactions. Similarly, misspelled diagnoses or incorrect patient histories can lead to inappropriate treatment plans. Inaccurate documentation can also affect billing and insurance claims, leading to financial disputes or delays in reimbursement for healthcare institutions. From a legal and ethical standpoint, EHR typos can contribute to medical malpractice cases: errors in medical records can be used as evidence of negligence, even if the mistake was unintentional. In addition, incorrect data entry can impact public health reporting and research, potentially skewing statistics and leading to flawed healthcare policies ^6–9.

Addressing EHR typos requires a multifaceted approach that combines technology improvements, training, and workflow optimization. Implementing real-time spell-checking and validation algorithms can help detect and correct typographical errors before they become problematic. Enhancing user interface design by simplifying data entry fields, increasing font size, and using structured templates can also minimize mistakes. Training healthcare professionals on best practices for EHR usage, including double-checking entries and using clear and concise standardized terminology, can reduce error rates. Integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to flag inconsistencies and anomalies in real-time can serve as an additional safeguard against typos. Finally, reducing workload and time pressure for clinicians when possible can allow them to more thoroughly and carefully approach all aspects of patient care, including documentation. ^10–14.

References

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