Computerized Records Can Benefit Medical Care

Maine, like the rest of the nation, is seeing increasing demands on its health care system as the vast majority of baby boomers are passing middle age and entering the period where more visits to the doctor are inevitable.

It’s no surprise that medical experts in the state are looking to technology to provide greater efficiency in the system. Maine is a small state, where health professionals from communities as far apart as Fort Kent and Portland know each other, making it the perfect place to get an innovative and far-looking program under way.

The nonprofit Maine Health Information Center is working on a system that would let authorized doctors and other clinicians have instant access to a patient’s medical records, from any computer.

Patients who see a cardiologist, a urologist and a podiatrist at three different hospitals could have their full medical records immediately seen by each expert via computer.

A paperless records system would allow for comprehensive analysis of patient information. Having information from many sources bundled together and easily accessible would be particularly helpful for older or sicker patients who see multiple doctors. Information such as recent medical procedures, drug allergies and problem conditions would be immediately available in the case of an emergency, such as a car accident or heart attack.

The group stresses that no patient would be put into the system without "express written consent." The group also takes special concern of privacy issues, noting that federal regulations regarding data privacy and security will be met and authorization standards for access to the system will be developed, maintained and enforced.

These issues are real and serious, and it’s a positive sign that the group is giving the concerns the consideration they deserve.

While some would argue that privacy could be at risk with such a system, its proponents have stressed that the opposite is actually true.

In a typical hospital setting, there’s a limited amount of control over a patient’s physical folder. In the proposed electronic system, only authorized clinicians and doctors would have access, and an absolute "chain of command" could be viewed, detailing exactly who saw the data, and when.

Designed properly, this program could be of great benefit to doctors around the state, and to the patients they serve.