Technology continually drives and improves the field of medicine. One area that especially benefits from technology is health information, more specifically medical records. Long gone are the days when your medical chart was handwritten and kept in a single location. With new electronic and network technology, your medical records are available from most anywhere in the world with the right network connection.
These new records are broken down into two main types: electronic health records and electronic medical records. While sometimes lumped together, the two are actually quite different.
What are electronic health records?
Think of electronic health records, or EHRs, as a database of all information related to your health. An EHR involves notes, treatments, diagnosis, allergies, immunization history, and anything else that has to do with your health. This information is not only from your primary physician, but also from all other clinicians involved in your care, such as specialists, therapists, and laboratories.
How are EHRs different from electronic medical records?
The primary difference between an electronic health record and an electronic medical record is that an EHR follows you wherever you go as a patient. Not only does the record follow between doctor and specialist offices, but also to hospitals and even long term care facilities like nursing homes. An EHR can even follow you across the country. While an electronic medical record tracks many of the same things as an electronic health record, it's typically only used within one practice or clinical setting and does not follow with you to other physicians or specialists.
How do electronic health records affect my care?
New EHRs provide a wide range of benefits to you as a patient. First of all, you have online access to your records, allowing you to be more involved and knowledgeable about your care. Since the records follow you wherever you go, an EHR can protect you even when you're unconscious, especially if you have allergies to certain medications. With the records shared between multiple care providers, an EHR also cuts down on duplicate testing and reduces the time necessary for diagnosis with your past medical history already available to new clinicians.
What about privacy and security?
With so much information available in an electronic format, it's important to understand that electronic health information is highly protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly referred to as HIPAA. HIPPA not only regulates the security and privacy of your health information, but it also grants you rights over your information, such as the ability to get a copy of your record and correct any mistakes. It also gives you the right to lodge a complaint if your information has not been secured or your privacy has been violated.
