| The medical industry has changed significantly | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=" would |
| over the past decade. One of the major changes | | | | potentially give many providers, pharmacists and |
| is that many medical offices are moving from | | | | other medical professionals access to a patient's |
| paper to electronic medical records. There are | | | | records, these records are kept very secure. The |
| also a number of practice management software | | | | adoption of <a rel="nofollow" |
| packages available to medical practitioners. This | | | | onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(' |
| makes their lives easier, but what does it mean | | | | outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=" medical |
| for patients? To understand the answer to that | | | | records</a> systems is clearly what the |
| question, it is first important to understand what | | | | future holds, from a technology as well as |
| an electronic medical records system is. | | | | legislative standpoint. In the end, the patient |
| Generally EMRs, electronic medical records, and | | | | benefits because it is easier to fill prescriptions, |
| EHRs, electronic health records, are synonymous. | | | | transfer records and receive consistent care than |
| These systems keep track of medical information. | | | | with paper systems. |
| These systems keep medical records stored in a | | | | While the public and the medical community waits |
| central location so that they can be made | | | | for all paper records to be transferred to EMRs, |
| available to pharmacies, specialists and other | | | | there is an online resource available to help |
| providers. What this means for the patient is that | | | | patients manage their own health records and be |
| medical care is becoming more portable. | | | | proactive about their healthcare. According to |
| President Bush created the Office of the National | | | | Google, Google Health “puts you in charge of |
| Coordinator for Health Information Technology | | | | your health information.” The service, which is |
| (ONC) in 2004. This office was headed by David | | | | safe, secure and free, enables patients to |
| Brailer in the beginning. Brailer addressed | | | | “organize all health information in one |
| interoperability issues and established a National | | | | place,” “gather medical records from |
| Health Information Network (NHIN). Regional | | | | doctors, hospitals and pharmacies,” “keep |
| Health Information Organizations (RHIOs) have | | | | doctors up-to-date about your health,” and |
| been established under the ONC in many states | | | | “be more informed about important health |
| for the purpose of promoting the sharing of | | | | issues.” This is all part of a larger trend in |
| health information. Currently, Congress continues | | | | which patients are becoming more pro-active in |
| to create legislation to increase funding for these | | | | managing their health. |
| programs and programs like them. | | | | As medical records systems continue to move |
| Moving from paper systems to EMRs is a process | | | | from paper to electronic, look for the ability of |
| that is still in the beginning stages within the | | | | systems to communicate with each other to also |
| medical community. It is a work in progress. Many | | | | become important. As the patient, you will |
| concerns exist, and privacy is one of those | | | | benefit because of the portability of electronic |
| concerns. While a moving to an <a | | | | health records and you will no doubt benefit from |
| rel="nofollow" | | | | the increased continuity-of-care that they can |
| onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(' | | | | offer. |