| The medical industry has experienced | | | | benefits of this technology. These records would |
| overwhelming advances over the last 50 years, | | | | allow doctors to not only be able to review a |
| and now even further steps are being taken to | | | | patient's medical history, but would give them the |
| help optimize patient care. By turning to computer | | | | ability to interconnect with any laboratories or |
| software, the use of health information | | | | other hospitals that the patient may have visited |
| technology is changing the landscape of patient | | | | in the past. All tests performed on a patient, any |
| and doctor relationships. The overwhelming | | | | blood work, or any regular treatments would be |
| benefits of this enhanced technology stand to | | | | noted in these patient e-files, allowing the doctor |
| drastically improve several different crucial | | | | to have a clear picture of every piece of |
| aspects of how a physician is able to acquire any | | | | pertinent information. This will help decrease the |
| necessary information about a patient, and as a | | | | need for repetitive testing, expedite the |
| result, will increase the improvement of patient | | | | treatment and most importantly allow doctors to |
| treatment. | | | | communicate with any other health facilities on |
| One of the key goals of using this technology is | | | | behalf of the patient. |
| the reduction of medical errors. Information about | | | | The two overall goals of health information |
| a patient's on going health history would get | | | | technology is to enhance the patient's treatment |
| stored in readable form, which would prevent | | | | and decrease medical errors. In a lot of situations, |
| medical mistakes due to a former physician's poor | | | | medical errors occur due to medications |
| hand writing. Quick and timely access to a | | | | prescribed to a patient that may end up having a |
| patient's health history documents would allow a | | | | negative effect. Electronic prescribing notes of |
| doctor to pursue the necessary treatments or | | | | any drug interactions that may be harmful, allows |
| medications needed for a patient. These | | | | the doctor to determine which medications are |
| documents are maintained as part of a patient's | | | | covered by the patient's insurance, and allows for |
| personal health record. The record would also | | | | clear and accurate information being presented |
| contain any information about family health which | | | | about the patient's reactions to past |
| could prove pertinent for future medical situations. | | | | administrations of certain medications. |
| While the personal health records would be | | | | All of these aspects should help to drastically |
| updated by an individual who is tracking their | | | | reduce physician errors, enhance patient care, and |
| health status, the availability of these records in | | | | therefore improve the populations overall state of |
| electronic file form, and their ability to be | | | | health. |
| accessed by doctors is another aspect of the | | | | |