The New York Times technology section reported on some recent surveys about physicians and utilization of electronic medical records. Electronic medical records can be a great mechanism for improving quality-of-care and ultimately cost of care. Some especially useful features include warnings about drug interactions and reminder pop-ups for tests that should be done for a patient based on age and recorded conditions. The physicians who use such records are largely enthusiastic about them. But many doctors are still not using them, largely doctors in small and private practices. There are a number of reasons: the available software is largely geared toward, the initial start-up costs are very high, and the people who have to bear the costs, doctors, do not always see the cost savings, as in money saved from not having to repeat lost labs. Electronic records are something physicians want in order to be able to practice more efficient medicine, but the cost seems so incredibly daunting.
The answer may come, in part, in the form of government financial subsidies to help clinics transition to electronic medical records. Because if such systems improve quality and cost of care, everyone benefits.
You can find the NYT article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/technology/19patient.html?ex=1371528000&en=bc2c007f1a9df2b0&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
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The most important benefit of obtaining medical records in particular is that this can allow you to receive more appropriate screening if it becomes necessary. There are many different types of screening that we may need as we grow older, and it is essential to know when and if we have ever experienced that screening before. If it is a type of screening that requires regularly scheduled updates, having your medical records on hand can prove to be especially helpful. E-medical records are becoming very popular among the people, as many find it very convenient and also it is very safety.
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