Main Barriers for Quality Data Collection in EHR - A Review

The volume of health data is rising and health information technologies which include electronic health records are a promising solution, on data management and collection, to achieve greater quality outcomes. However, they often cause errors instead of preventing them. To study the main barriers to high quality data collection from electronic health records, a qualitative review study was conducted using 5 different database engines having only considered data quality and documentation issues, opportunities and challenges for proper data collection, electronic health records data and corresponding databases quality. It were included 16 articles from which data availability, format, accuracy and data accessibility were the most focused problems to address. Still, solutions are available: early recognition of those problems, well structured and designed EHRs, standard coding use, periodic accuracy monitoring and feedback and broad use of such systems for the most daily tasks possible, among others. Altogether they can improve EHR data quality for everyday use.