Electronic Health Records - What Do You Need to Know?
Electronic Health Records are being introduced into the NHS as part of the NPfIT (National Programme for IT) and Connecting For Health.
All medical establishments such as hospitals and doctors surgeries as well as pharmacies, dentists and out patients departments will stop using paper based medical records, meaning that there will be a huge benefit for patients and medical staff alike.
Here's what you need to know.
1.
Electric Health Records are accessed by computer, and so it's much quicker and effective for medical staff to be able to search a database for a patient's notes, rather than having to physically search a filing cabinet for paper records.
This is much quicker, and frees up staff to concentrate on patient care.
2.
Because the records are on computer, it's much easier to keep them updated.
Thanks to modern healthcare systems, electronic medical records software is easy to use and so is quicker to use than having to write down a patient's symptoms and treatments.
3.
One advantage of the NPfIT is that medical records can be made available to other medical professionals who need them.
If you've recently had surgery or dental treatment, then you might want your GP to be able to see exactly what medication you are on for example 4.
As all records will be typed rather than handwritten, notes and prescriptions will be much easier to read which should mean that the risk of prescribing the wrong medication, or the wrong dosage should be a think of the past.
5.
Because records can be made available to other healthcare providers, no matter where you're treated your records will be correct and up to date.
You might be visiting relatives and need hospital treatment, or require emergency dental work whilst on a weekend away.
Electronic health records will mean that your hospital, and your GP, will know that you have been treated, and what treatment you received, Even though you were seen hundred of miles away.
6.
If you move house or change surgeries, it's now going to be much easier for your records to be transferred to your new surgery.
Instead of having to be faxed, or posted, your records can now be sent and received electronically, in seconds.
7.
It might be that your healthcare provided needs to see your previous treatment, which may have taken place at a number of locations.
Thanks to electronic patient records, this information can be viewed immediately, rather than needing the appropriate information to be posted or faxed.
8.
As all the data is stored on computer, there is far less storage required in a hospital, or a GP or dental surgery.
This means that more resources can be spent of treating patients rather than having to manage paper records.
9.
Another advantage of electronic medical records is that they are more secure and less vulnerable than paper records.
A leaky pipe causing a flood, or an electrical fault that causes a fire, can have catastrophic effects on a surgery.
10.
Electronic records won't go missing, or get mislaid, or get lost in the post, or be impossible to read.
The information will always be available, and legible, and so is much more durable than a paper based medical record.
Now you know more about them you're sure to see Electronic Health Records in action the next time you see a medical professional.
All medical establishments such as hospitals and doctors surgeries as well as pharmacies, dentists and out patients departments will stop using paper based medical records, meaning that there will be a huge benefit for patients and medical staff alike.
Here's what you need to know.
1.
Electric Health Records are accessed by computer, and so it's much quicker and effective for medical staff to be able to search a database for a patient's notes, rather than having to physically search a filing cabinet for paper records.
This is much quicker, and frees up staff to concentrate on patient care.
2.
Because the records are on computer, it's much easier to keep them updated.
Thanks to modern healthcare systems, electronic medical records software is easy to use and so is quicker to use than having to write down a patient's symptoms and treatments.
3.
One advantage of the NPfIT is that medical records can be made available to other medical professionals who need them.
If you've recently had surgery or dental treatment, then you might want your GP to be able to see exactly what medication you are on for example 4.
As all records will be typed rather than handwritten, notes and prescriptions will be much easier to read which should mean that the risk of prescribing the wrong medication, or the wrong dosage should be a think of the past.
5.
Because records can be made available to other healthcare providers, no matter where you're treated your records will be correct and up to date.
You might be visiting relatives and need hospital treatment, or require emergency dental work whilst on a weekend away.
Electronic health records will mean that your hospital, and your GP, will know that you have been treated, and what treatment you received, Even though you were seen hundred of miles away.
6.
If you move house or change surgeries, it's now going to be much easier for your records to be transferred to your new surgery.
Instead of having to be faxed, or posted, your records can now be sent and received electronically, in seconds.
7.
It might be that your healthcare provided needs to see your previous treatment, which may have taken place at a number of locations.
Thanks to electronic patient records, this information can be viewed immediately, rather than needing the appropriate information to be posted or faxed.
8.
As all the data is stored on computer, there is far less storage required in a hospital, or a GP or dental surgery.
This means that more resources can be spent of treating patients rather than having to manage paper records.
9.
Another advantage of electronic medical records is that they are more secure and less vulnerable than paper records.
A leaky pipe causing a flood, or an electrical fault that causes a fire, can have catastrophic effects on a surgery.
10.
Electronic records won't go missing, or get mislaid, or get lost in the post, or be impossible to read.
The information will always be available, and legible, and so is much more durable than a paper based medical record.
Now you know more about them you're sure to see Electronic Health Records in action the next time you see a medical professional.