The value of 24/7 access to critical patient data — a nurse’s perspective

Having been a nurse at several major health systems for many years, I can tell you first-hand that we rely on having secure access to the right information, when we need it and where we need it, to keep patients safe and deliver high-quality care. If system downtimes occur — whether from power outages, natural disasters, planned maintenance or cyberattacks — we can’t do our jobs effectively and patients’ lives are on the line.

Here are some examples of the various touchpoints throughout my day, during my time as a nurse, when access to patient information, even during downtimes, was crucial for me:

• Planning out your day
• Dispensing medications
• Transportation within the hospital
• Reaching the patient’s family
• Accessing notes from other care providers
• Discharge disposition
• Transportation within the hospital
• Reaching the patient’s family

The bottom line is that, for a nurse, the EHR is our lifeline. We refer to it literally hundreds of times a day.