6 Ways Electronic Medical Records Improves Safety and Ease By Rylie Platt

Minimizes Doctor Visits and Patient Overload Allows the answering of simple prescription related questions via computer Allows the answering of simple prescription related questions via computer In Hawaii alone, patient visits dropped 25% between 2004 and 2007 after implementing EMR In Hawaii alone, patient visits dropped 25% between 2004 and 2007 after implementing EMR Allows physicians to attend to higher need cases Allows physicians to attend to higher need cases

Tracking Personal Records Advances like Google’s ‘GoogleHealth’, ease the sharing of medical records among family members, regardless of location., truly globalizing vital health information Advances like Google’s ‘GoogleHealth’, ease the sharing of medical records among family members, regardless of location., truly globalizing vital health information Especially effective for managing elderly family and invalid health needs and schedules Especially effective for managing elderly family and invalid health needs and schedules Provides a personal reminder of important medical information for the patient Provides a personal reminder of important medical information for the patient

Instant Access to Lab Results Beth Israel Deaconess and Quest Diagnostics are two of the labs implementing the use of instantly downloadable lab results the second they are reported. Beth Israel Deaconess and Quest Diagnostics are two of the labs implementing the use of instantly downloadable lab results the second they are reported. Kaiser patients alone allowed patients to view 16,773,273 lab results immediately in 2008 Kaiser patients alone allowed patients to view 16,773,273 lab results immediately in 2008

X-Ray Storage Patients will no longer have to keep x-rays, and physicians will not have to part with original copies, as the records will be stored as digital images, a system dermatologists already used to store visual files of skin cancer records. Patients will no longer have to keep x-rays, and physicians will not have to part with original copies, as the records will be stored as digital images, a system dermatologists already used to store visual files of skin cancer records. An entire lifetime of x-rays can be stored without an issue of space or damage An entire lifetime of x-rays can be stored without an issue of space or damage

Drug Interactions Vital drug and dosage information is consistently available with the program E- prescribing. Vital drug and dosage information is consistently available with the program E- prescribing. Reduces errors by both patient and pharmacist Reduces errors by both patient and pharmacist Has a backlog of harmful drug interactions Has a backlog of harmful drug interactions

Handheld Device Communication The ability to receive special alerts by cell phone The ability to receive special alerts by cell phone The ability to receive and review records via personal computer The ability to receive and review records via personal computer

Current Legislation EMR’s are currently being pushed through as part of the Health Stimulus package, with the present with provision of $40,000 in incentives (beginning in 2011) for physicians to use an EMR EMR’s are currently being pushed through as part of the Health Stimulus package, with the present with provision of $40,000 in incentives (beginning in 2011) for physicians to use an EMR Development of education programs to train clinicians in EMR use and increase the number of healthcare professionals Development of education programs to train clinicians in EMR use and increase the number of healthcare professionals

Specialization Specific EMR software can be industry specific with MDSMedical software providing for dermatologists, Dragon Medical Software providing for general practitioners, and AbraxisMedical providing for Orthopedics, as just a few examples. EMR software can be industry specific with MDSMedical software providing for dermatologists, Dragon Medical Software providing for general practitioners, and AbraxisMedical providing for Orthopedics, as just a few examples. Each company designs based on the specific standards and need of each medical discipline Each company designs based on the specific standards and need of each medical discipline

In Conclusion Traditional medical record keeping is being replaced by electronic variants as we move into the future, easing the ability to promptly and accurately review and store patient data. With new legislation we should expect to see more in the future, as computers once again improve the quality of our lives. Traditional medical record keeping is being replaced by electronic variants as we move into the future, easing the ability to promptly and accurately review and store patient data. With new legislation we should expect to see more in the future, as computers once again improve the quality of our lives.