Electronic Medical Records

Electronic medical records are changing the the face of health care. With electronic medical records, the obvious goal is better patient care at reasonable costs. Hastily scribbled (and barely discernible) paper notes are a thing of the past. Doctors gain access to patient history and electronic medical records with a few clicks--whether they're in the office or not. But lets not fool ourselves. It's not just about patient care. It's about making more money for the office ...

Medical care providers aren't just medical care providers. They're money making machines. A well-oiled office bills faster and smarter. These savvy practices implement electronic medical record software for two primary reasons: to make their jobs easier and to make their practice more profitable.

The implementation of electronic medical records is a good thing. It will bring better care. And it's providing a healthy shot in the arm for the tech industry--both hardware providers and software developers. These are big ticket items. Hospital systems can reach into eight figure territory.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) compliance is an important issue for medical providers. HIPPA mandates that every medical insurance company have the ability to accept electronically submitted claims. Medical care providers, however, are not required to submit claims electronically just yet--it's still an option.

It's essential that electronic medical records be kept safe and secure. While a medical office may have the ability to access medical records over the Internet--depending on the system they use--their system must have safeguards to prevent information from falling into the wrong hands. Have you noticed that your local pharmacy has recently changed the layout of their prescription pick up area to provide more privacy? Those changes were brought about by the federal government's rules, not by choice.

For more information on HIPAA, check out the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' HIPAA Web Site.

And the next time you're sitting in your doctor's waiting room, with time to waste before your appointment, ask how the practice is dealing with their electronic medical records ...