10 Things You Need to Know About Electronic Health Records
If you're patient, or an NHS healthcare professional, then you'll probably know at least a little bit about electronic health records.
Here's what you need to know, and how it will benefit you.
1.
Electronic health records are computerised, and so are quick to update.
This means that less time needs to be spent writing up notes and records, and changing contact details.
2.
Computerised medical records are much more accurate than paper based notes, and so they will always be up to date.
This means that there is no need for patients to continually ask for their details to be amended, or have to give their details to every different NHS professional they see.
3.
These computerised medical records are quick to access and reliable, and so there is no need for a doctor to prepare a stack of notes before seeing their patients.
There's also no risk of getting patients confused, or forgetting to write notes for a patient.
4.
Medical notes need to be secure, and electronic health records are far more secure than paper based records.
As they can be stored off site, they are much less likely to be damaged in a break in, flood or fire too.
5.
Unlike with paper based records, there is no chance of electronic patient records getting lost between departments, or after a patient has been seen.
6.
Thanks to technology, electronic patient records are available at any hospital, or health provider that need to have access to them.
Perhaps you'll be treated at a different hospital than normal, or maybe your dentist wants to know more about the treatment you recently had, or about any allergies.
The ability to share information between healthcare providers is much better for all concerned, both patients and staff.
7.
As electronic medical records are saving time as well as money, they are helping the NHS to be more efficient, as staff are able to devote more of their time to their patients, rather than having to handle administrative tasks.
8.
As well as the actual notes, modern patient records also allow images digital images to be accessed.
This means that medical staff have instant access to X rays and ultrasounds, even if they were done hundreds of miles away.
Previous to Connecting For Health, images would need to have been physically sent by courier in order to be viewed at a different location, which could have taken days rather than seconds.
9.
Less storage space is required for computerised records.
Instead of needing many filing cabinets, or even rooms, for patient notes, a single computer can hold thousands or even millions of patients' details.
10.
When a patient moves to a new region, or a new doctor, their notes can be instantly transferred, so that the new surgery has the full medical history of the patient, immediately.
This would have required the notes to have been sent, and would have taken several days.
Now you know more about electronic healthcare records, and what they mean for you, you'll begin to notice the benefits the next time you need medical treatment.
Here's what you need to know, and how it will benefit you.
1.
Electronic health records are computerised, and so are quick to update.
This means that less time needs to be spent writing up notes and records, and changing contact details.
2.
Computerised medical records are much more accurate than paper based notes, and so they will always be up to date.
This means that there is no need for patients to continually ask for their details to be amended, or have to give their details to every different NHS professional they see.
3.
These computerised medical records are quick to access and reliable, and so there is no need for a doctor to prepare a stack of notes before seeing their patients.
There's also no risk of getting patients confused, or forgetting to write notes for a patient.
4.
Medical notes need to be secure, and electronic health records are far more secure than paper based records.
As they can be stored off site, they are much less likely to be damaged in a break in, flood or fire too.
5.
Unlike with paper based records, there is no chance of electronic patient records getting lost between departments, or after a patient has been seen.
6.
Thanks to technology, electronic patient records are available at any hospital, or health provider that need to have access to them.
Perhaps you'll be treated at a different hospital than normal, or maybe your dentist wants to know more about the treatment you recently had, or about any allergies.
The ability to share information between healthcare providers is much better for all concerned, both patients and staff.
7.
As electronic medical records are saving time as well as money, they are helping the NHS to be more efficient, as staff are able to devote more of their time to their patients, rather than having to handle administrative tasks.
8.
As well as the actual notes, modern patient records also allow images digital images to be accessed.
This means that medical staff have instant access to X rays and ultrasounds, even if they were done hundreds of miles away.
Previous to Connecting For Health, images would need to have been physically sent by courier in order to be viewed at a different location, which could have taken days rather than seconds.
9.
Less storage space is required for computerised records.
Instead of needing many filing cabinets, or even rooms, for patient notes, a single computer can hold thousands or even millions of patients' details.
10.
When a patient moves to a new region, or a new doctor, their notes can be instantly transferred, so that the new surgery has the full medical history of the patient, immediately.
This would have required the notes to have been sent, and would have taken several days.
Now you know more about electronic healthcare records, and what they mean for you, you'll begin to notice the benefits the next time you need medical treatment.
