Healthcare Trends Shaping the Future of Custom EHR Development

Electronic Health Records have become the epicenter of modern-day healthcare delivery. From what started as a trend to reduce the use of paper in healthcare delivery, EHR with the help of technology have crossed all the boundaries to become an integral part of the 21st century healthcare system.
However, with the growing reliance on healthcare technology, many healthcare providers are exploring custom healthcare software development options to provide better and faster care. Along with that, customizations also enable practices to meet their specific needs comfortably and without much hassle.
This trend of customization can be particularly seen in EHR software, as given the dynamic nature of the healthcare industry the custom EHR software development seems to be a reliable and future-proof option.
However, as technology is reshaping the healthcare landscape, the technology advancements are also embracing trends that will potentially change the healthcare landscape further. This is one of the major reasons why the best practices for healthcare organization in care delivery seems to be a daunting task, and hence the shift to building their own EHR.
So, to keep you updated with the latest trends in custom EHR software development and help you future-proof your custom EHR, here are some of the trends in the healthcare technology landscape that can change the way we see healthcare.
Top Trends Reshaping Custom EHR Development
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
Artificial intelligence in healthcare (AI in healthcare) has been the talk of the town for a while now. While technicians are still exploring the possible applications of AI in EHR software and how it can enhance the care delivery process, there are certain facets of care delivery that AI has already managed to address.
One of the major benefits of AI in custom EHR can be seen in streamlining day-to-day tasks and automating the documentation process. These processes will bring the focus back on care delivery allowing providers to provide quality care. Along with that, with clinical decision support and predictive analytics, AI can even help providers in accurate diagnosis and provide evidence-based care.
The impact of AI on healthcare can revolutionize the way we see and approach healthcare. However, there are certain considerations that we need to address. For instance, just like every other AI system, your AI-powered custom EHR will also be trained on data. This can lead to giving out biased results and explainability. That is why it is important to develop responsible AI.
However, in the current healthcare landscape, AI is already in use in EHR, for sending personalized text messages, scheduling appointments, SOAP notes taking, etc. However, with advancements, it can further help in closing the time to care and further simplify the process of care delivery.
Interoperability and Data Sharing

The healthcare delivery system is built on the coordination of different facets of healthcare services. That is the reason, healthcare delivery is said to be a collaborative effort of not just doctors but everyone that is involved in the process. Furthermore, as the healthcare landscape is undergoing a digital transformation, interoperability, and smooth data sharing are some of the persistent challenges in EHR software development.
Seamless data sharing and interoperability not only minimizes the time to care delivery but also eliminates the margin of error in record keeping. Following data standardization standards such as HL7 and FHIR can be crucial in achieving interoperability.
However, if you want to explore a new-age technology with enhanced security, achieving interoperability with blockchain technology is one of the best ways to do so. Interoperability in improving patient care is necessary as it enables the data to flow smoothly and reduce the time to care.
However, concerns regarding data privacy, governance and ownership within the interoperable networks must be addressed. Since it deals with the sharing of sensitive patient data and that data is used as the point of evidence for care delivery, certain precautions must be taken.
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Another trend that has been on the rise has been the development of cloud-based EHRs for remote access. As the technological landscape of EHR is everchanging, cloud-based EHRs also help in scalability, accessibility and disaster recovery, in case there are any data leaks or theft.
Furthermore, cloud-based EHRs for remote access not only reduces the time to care but also helps in improving care accessibility for people in rural or underserved areas. To achieve this, during custom EHR development you need to integrate your software with remote patient monitoring tools and telehealth platforms, so that every aspect of care delivery is covered.
However, the major challenge in EHR software development as a cloud-based solution is security consideration and unique compliance requirements for cloud deployment. Identifying and addressing that before bringing them into practice is highly recommended.
Patient Engagement and Experience

As the healthcare delivery landscape is slowly shifting towards a digital landscape, the trend of enhancing patient experience and improving patient engagement is rising. Due to this healthcare practices have shifted towards patient centered care practices and recognising the active involvement of patients in this, custom EHR development has started to include user-friendly patient portals.
These portals come with proactive patient engagement features like self-scheduling, appointment reminders and secure messaging. All these factors help in bridging the gap between patients and providers while reducing the time to care.
Furthermore, patient portals empower patients to manage their own health data and proactively participate in decision making. And since EHRs are made up of patient data, it plays a crucial role in self-care management.
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Download nowPersonalization and Customization
Another interesting trend that can be observed lately is personalization and customization in healthcare. Here, the focus is shifted to providing personalized care delivery with customized EHR development. For instance, with AI-powered custom EHR software, personalized medicines can be prescribed after analyzing their data to meet individual patient needs.
Coming to customization, the customized dashboards, treatment plans and medication recommendation based on the patient data can be used to not only improve the quality of care but also in population health management (PHM), by identifying unique healthcare patterns. Here AI can be effectively used and the impact of AI on healthcare can be easily seen and felt.
However, ethical consideration regarding personalized medicine must be carefully assessed and human-intervention must be prioritized. Along with that, ensure equitable access as the data should be accessible to authorized personnel only.
Voice Recognition and Natural Language Processing (NPL)

The ROI of custom EHR software development can be at times hard to calculate, however with the rising use of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare (AI in healthcare), voice recognition and natural language processing are the two aspects with most attraction and for good reasons.
For instance, voice-activated EHR can improve clinical workflow and make the documentation process easier for healthcare professionals. With voice recognition and NPL, the clinical workflow would be simplified and streamlined, shifting the focus on healthcare providers from documentation to patient care.
Moreover, with NPL allowing EHRs to understand and respond to natural language queries, you can imagine the ease it brings in carrying out essential documentation tasks. However, as the NPL model will also be trained on data, the potential biases in NPL algorithms can be a point of concern. However, it can be easily overcome by training the model of diverse data.
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Download for FreeCybersecurity and Data Privacy
While there are many challenges in custom EHR development, the challenge of cybersecurity and data privacy is something that you have to deal with every now and then. Since your custom EHR software system will be majorly dealing with the crucial and sensitive patient data, robust cybersecurity measures must be implemented.
One of the best ways to ensure data privacy in custom EHR systems is by achieving compliance with regulatory bodies like HIPAA and GDPR. These compliances not only enable us to seamlessly navigate through the evolving nature of healthcare software development but also keep the legal troubles away. Since these compliances focus on protecting patient data, they help you improve the security of your custom EHR system.
Conclusion
Norms give rise to trends and trends become the new norm and that has been the case since eternity now. And since the healthcare industry is transitioning from a traditional to digital landscape, the trends we’ve discussed above are likely to dominate and become the new norm going forward.
On that note, let this blog be your guiding light to future-proofing your custom EHR development and lead the way effectively and efficiently. And if you don’t know where to start, click here, and let’s explore the endless possibilities of custom EHR development for your healthcare practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Integrate AI/ML into your custom EHR by:
- Leveraging APIs: Use pre-trained models (e.g., for disease prediction, risk assessment) via APIs.
- Developing custom models: Train models on your EHR data for personalized predictions, treatment recommendations, and patient risk stratification.
- Implementing NLP: Utilize NLP for automated data entry, clinical note summarization, and extracting insights from unstructured data.
By incorporating these functionalities, you can enhance patient care, improve operational efficiency, and gain valuable insights from your healthcare data.
- Assess readiness: Evaluate current IT infrastructure, workflows, and data security.
- Define requirements: Determine specific needs and desired functionalities.
- Vendor selection: Research and choose a reputable cloud EHR provider.
- Data migration planning: Develop a strategy for transferring patient data securely.
- Staff training: Prepare staff for the new system through comprehensive training programs.
- Go-live planning: Create a detailed implementation plan, including timelines and resources.
- Ongoing support: Establish a plan for ongoing maintenance, updates, and technical support.
To ensure your custom EHR complies with HIPAA and GDPR, prioritize data security, obtain explicit patient consent, implement strong access controls, and conduct regular audits. Stay informed about evolving regulations and consult with legal and security experts.
Here are 5 strategies to promote patient engagement and adoption of a new EHR system in 50 words:
- Clear Communication: Educate patients on system benefits and address concerns.
- Training & Support: Offer staff and patient training on system use.
- Patient Portals: Empower patients with online access to their health information.
- Feedback Mechanisms: Gather and address patient feedback on system usability.
- Incentivize Adoption: Offer small incentives for patients who utilize the system’s features.
Tailor EHR interfaces to user roles (e.g., physician, nurse, admin). Customize workflows, data visibility, and features based on specific job functions. This streamlines tasks, reduces errors, and enhances user satisfaction.
Incorporating blockchain into custom EHR development offers several potential advantages:
- Enhanced Data Security: Blockchain’s decentralized and immutable nature significantly improves data security and privacy.
- Improved Data Integrity: Blockchain ensures data accuracy and prevents unauthorized modifications.
- Increased Transparency: Blockchain provides a transparent and auditable record of all data entries and modifications.
- Enhanced Interoperability: Blockchain can facilitate seamless data sharing and exchange between different healthcare providers.
- Reduced Administrative Burden: Blockchain can streamline administrative processes and reduce the need for manual data entry and reconciliation.
Telehealth integration enhances custom EHR systems by:
- Expanding accessibility: Providing remote consultations, increasing patient reach and convenience.
- Improving efficiency: Streamlining communication and data sharing between providers and patients.
- Enhancing patient care: Enabling remote monitoring, facilitating timely interventions, and improving patient outcomes.
- Reducing costs: Minimizing travel time and expenses for both patients and providers.
- Increasing flexibility: Allowing for more flexible appointment scheduling and care delivery options.