By Brian O’Neill
There’s a good chance your doctor’s office is going digital.
As part of the national push to make healthcare work better for everyone, physician offices and hospitals alike are beginning to turn to technology to keep track of a patients’ medical history, treatments and other health information. But while electronic data keeping has become commonplace in most facets of society, some senior citizens fear that having something as personal as their health records available at the touch of a button raises all kinds of issues regarding privacy and confidentiality.
In reality, thanks to safeguards and very stringent federally-mandated regulations that address this very issue, seniors can rest assured. In fact, there are many reasons for senior citizens and Americans of all ages to welcome and embrace electronic health records.
Safe and Secure: All electronic health records need to comply with the rules of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which safeguards patient privacy and the security of health information in any form. These national standards require appropriate administrative, physical and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and security of electronic health records so patients can feel at ease.
Better Care: Most seniors see more than one doctor, and when your electronic record is accessible by all of your providers better health decisions can be made. As you move from primary care doctor to specialist to hospital to outpatient status, too often the doctors may not have the chance to communicate or send your medical records to each touch point along the way. But when doctors share records electronically, a new doctor only needs to ask the patient’s name, birth date and possibly another piece of identifying information to access a patient’s complete health record. Diagnosis and treatment decisions could be altered based on the information found there, which is far more complete and trustworthy than what might be written down on paper.
Better Efficiencies: Since EHRs make information easy to access, the need for patients to repeat expensive and often uncomfortable tests are greatly minimized. And patients don’t need to give the same information, answer the same questions or fill out the same forms over and over. They also don’t need to remember every prescription’s name and dosage. This not only saves time and makes it easier on the patient (and, if they have one, their caregiver), but it also reduces costs for everyone.
Organization and Standardization: Paper files can be lost or misplaced, but electronic health records are always accessible. EHRs allow for better standardization when it comes to record keeping because they provide a uniform way of filling out information that makes it easier for all doctors and nurses to quickly and confidently find what they need.
Keeping Up With Our Mobile Society: If you are ill or injured while away from home or move/retire to a new city, the importance of electronic health records becomes magnified as your electronic patient record can easily move with you. And if a doctor retires or moves, no longer do patients have to worry about tracking down records so long as their records are kept electronically.
Patient Access: Seniors are one of the fastest growing users of the internet. An increasing number of EHR systems allow patients access to a secure website to learn about test results and other important information from their medical record, which can serve as a tool for patients to document their own medical history. The more informed patients are, the greater the likelihood that they will be able to ask the right questions and make intelligent, proactive decisions about their own health and healthcare options.
Already many hospitals and large physician groups have made significant progress in implementing EHRs and are now doing so with increased frequency. Fortunately, systems are now in place which make it easy and affordable for smaller groups or independent physician offices convert from paper to EHR as well.
Medical records have always been an essential part of the relationship between patients and their doctors. By tapping into today’s technology, understanding the privacy and security controls in place, and embracing all of the benefits that electronic health records bring, senior citizens can let go of their fears and, just like their doctors, make use of the best that modern technology has to offer.
Brian O’Neill is president and CEO of Texas-based Office Ally, offering electronic health records and other revenue-cycle management services. He can be reached at [email protected].
