NursingLink

To an extent we are already doing this in the office where I work. I am able to pull up labs, xrays, ER, and even EKG results on the internet through a special website sponsored by our local hospital. You have to have special passwords and there are different levels of security measures for access. In TN we also have a website that we can pull up and print a patients vaccine record. It is mainly for the Health Departments right now but it is slowly expanding to private offices. The security for it is stricter than the hospital's site. You have to reset your password every 90 days. Both sites are supposed to be heavily monitored for HIPPA violations. Such as you can only look up the people who are your patients and not your cousin who was in the hospital for lab work.  I think it is a good idea in these situations. We can print what we need while the patient is there and not have to wait on a fax that may not get there til the next day . 

It can be alot easier. You have the info you need right there and don't have to wait or jump through hoops to get it. You just hit print and stick it with the chart. I'll admit there are some days when it seems like it takes forever for them to put the results in, but those are the days when the hospital is slammed. Either way you won't get any results to fast.

I think the greatest concern is the security of the system. What if someone hacks into it and steals personal information? Is this just as safe (or less? or more?) than buying products online where  you have to enter your credit card number?

I think it will be helpful- I can't tell you how many times I get a patient in the ER that doesn't know their allergies, meds or history.  Very hard to treat when you don't know this stuff.  I think this will be very helpful for those who can't talk or don't know.

Now in Ohio the doctor can apply for a password and code and get on a website that will tell them every med a patient has had prescribed, where they got it, how many they received and even how they have paid for it for the past 6 months.  We use this for those patients we feel maybe abusing drugs.  We then have our case manager work with them to get them pain management help.

I just started using Google Health and I think it is great. It is very easy to use and everything is in one place. You can even search for your doctors to make sure you put all the correct info in. There is no personal info there like SSNs or anything. If someone hacked into it, all they have are my meds and dr's names. Can't do much identity theft with that.

This is something I wish my mom would have had access to and completed. When she passed away, we had no idea what doctors she went to or where we could go to get medical records. It was a mess!

Encourage your loved ones to do something like this. That way, in an emergency all the info is right there for the medical professionals to have!!