If you've been a patient at a specific doctor's office or clinic for a long period of time, you might feel apprehensive if your medical provider switches from paper records to electronic ones. Electronic medical records, or EMRs, can actually have a positive impact on your care.
- Quicker Access
Waiting at the doctor's office takes time out of your day, and it's an even longer process when medical staff members have to go on a hunt for your medical records. With electronic records, they simply have to type in your name and your file will appear. They can also quickly pull them up if you call in with a question.
- Cross-Practice Collaboration
Electronic health records, or EHRs, are similar to electronic medical records in that they store your medical information. The key difference is that an EHR documents your treatment at multiple facilities, which EMRs only record information for a single location. Electronic health records allow medical professionals to ensure your health regardless of their locations.
- Clear Reports
Chances are you've received a prescription at some point that you could barely read. Imagine that handwriting being transferred into medical records that often must undergo review by other practitioners. Messy handwriting does not cause confusion about your current or past medical history when everything is in the form of an electronic medical record.
- Simple to Transfer
Whether you need your records sent over to a specialist or the doctor's office is changing locations, electronic medical records are easier to move. They can be sent with a click of a button, and you don't have to worry about them getting lost when the practice is switching physical location. Ease and efficiency are the hallmarks of electronic medical records.
- Your Privacy
Some patients are concerned about the privacy of electronic medical records, but they can actually offer more privacy than paper ones. You don't need to worry that a copy is going to be sitting out in the office all day or that someone could forget to put it back away before leaving at night. Your records will likely be password-protected documents.
