Electronic Medical Records - What Do They Mean For You?

If you have been to see a Doctor, or in hospital, or to see the Dentist recently, then you may have noticed that your medical notes are no longer written on paper. Electronic Medical Records are taking over.

Here are 5 reasons for this, and what it means for you as a patient.

1. Quick And Easy To Update

Electronic Medical Records are easier to update than paper based notes. There is no more having to decipher somebody else's handwriting, and being unsure of what the symptoms were or what treatment was provided. Also, there will be fewer lost records as Electronic Medical Records will be stored on computer, not in a filing cabinet.

Instead of waiting several days for medical records to be sent to a new Doctor, Electronic Medical Records are available immediately, thanks to modern technology.

2. Your Records Are Available Wherever You Are

If you have medical treatment in a different town, or location to where you are normally treated, then the medical department may benefit from seeing your notes. Also, if you were away for the weekend, and needed treatment, your usual Doctor or hospital would have to wait weeks for your records to be updated.

3. Making Better Use Of Images

Thanks to computer technology, images such as X-Rays and ultrasounds can be saved and accessed by all medical staff that need to see them. This can be essential for those who need treatment at a different town. If a patient sufferers a broken limb whilst on a weekend away, and there is a problem with it, there could be a long wait until the original X-Ray is received by the patient's usual hospital. With Electronic Medical Records, a copy of the X-Ray can be sent, and received, straight away.

For those who are seen by several different departments within the same hospital, the chances of X-Rays or an ultrasound being lost are minimal, as the patient doesn't need to carry them to each and every department they visit.

4. Easier To See What Treatment Has Been Administered

Electronic Medical Records are shared between all medical departments that need to see them. A Doctor will now be able to see that you have recently had treatment from a Dentist, and that may be why your jaw or head aches. A Pharmacist will be informed of any allergies you have, and will ensure that you are prescribed the right medication. A hospital department will be able to see what symptoms and treatment you have had which may be related to a current medical condition.

5. More Efficient, More Accurate And More Productive

As well as saving time and money, Electronic Medical Records are helping the NHS to provide a better service to patients thanks to Healthcare Systems as part of Connecting for Health, and the NPfIT (National Programme for IT). Resources are being allocated in a more efficient manner. There are fewer administrative and medical errors as there is far less handwriting to read. Medical and administrative staff are more productive, and are spending less time filling in patient records on paper. The cost savings mean that more money can be spent on treating patients, rather than on administration.

Hopefully you won't need to visit a Doctor or a hospital anytime soon. But the next time you go, things may be very different from the last time you went. Technology such as Electronic Medical Records are rapidly transforming the NHS, and helping it provide a more efficient service to patients.

Find out more about Electronic Medical Records and other Healthcare Reporting Systems from Systemc.Com.

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