Health records to go electronic or not ? That’s the question across the world now.

In Canada,a recent survey recent survey sponsored by Canada Health Infoway, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and Health Canada showed that about 87 per cent of those polled believe EHRs will make diagnosis quicker and more accurate, while 82 per cent believe they will reduce prescription error.

Eighty-four per cent of respondents would like to be able to access their own medical records online, while 77 per cent would like audit trails that document access to their health information.

Canada info-way a non-profit organization is working on implementing electronic health records nationwide.

But,across the atlantic ocean in a survey among GP’s across U.K a poll by by Medix, a healthcare online research organization previously used by the Department of Health to test medical opinion,found that 59% of GPs in England are unwilling to upload any record without the patient’s specific consent.They feared hacking of patient’s record and bribery or blackmail of people with access to the their health records can further precipitate loss of privacy with identity theft.

To conclusively,prove that health records online can serve significant benefits is a long and tedious battle ahead whether it is for Microsoft or Google.

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“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.”

Spanish Proverb

We live in exciting times,health care has changed tremendously over the past century.It has moved from case based management of diseases to evidence based management.Despite rapid strides in technology and also information about new diseases,yet there are some lacunae in delivery of health care.This has resulted in frustration among consumers and health care professionals.

Health care system has not moved in pace with advances in information technology and web media.Management of patient related information is one among them.

If we apply the five laws of library science by Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan (1892-1972) and modify to health care,it could be :

1.Health care is for everyone.
2.Every user has his or her access.
3.Every health care its user.
4.Save time and money for the user.
5.The Health Care system is a growing organism

The First Law:Health Care is for every one:it is not an privilege but a fundamental right.

The Second Law:Although this is quite obvious,yet it is not always so,many people not only in developing countries but also in developed countries still do not have access to adequate health care.

The Third Law:Just as Each book in the library has a member of the community that will find the book useful or interesting.So does a patient will find only some parts of the health care system interesting to him.

The Fourth Law:It is important to save not only time for the consumer while accessing and utilizing health care services,but also it should save money for its user.This means that the health care should be more efficient then today.

The Fifth law:Health care is not an inanimate object,it is like a living organism and needs life to grow.Just as without the human and organizational changes that occur, the library would neither function properly, nor meet its purpose.So does the health care system.

Think about it.

Popularity: 5% [?]