Benefits

From Open MedicDrive

The world health organization (WHO) estimates that one in ten patients worldwide are affected by medical errors. These medical related errors are preventable and they occur mainly due to incomplete information about patient’s health records.Computerisation of medical records enables health care providers to provide optimum health treatment by obtaining a full overview of patient’s histories, which will help them to make accurate diagnosis and also provide cost effective care. Digital Health records should enable health care professionals to efficiently deliver quality health services through:

1.Audit and monitor of care provided.

2.View health care history of an individual over a period of time.

3.Research and analysis of a disease pattern.

4.Avoid repeat investigation.

In today’s health care system, it is difficult to find and effectively interpret information about patient’s illness. This is mainly due to the result that the record maintenance is done using paper based format. Patients are also frustrated due to lack of communication and compatibility of health care records between various health care professionals and hospitals across different hospitals and medical centers.

In addition, there is also lack of standardization in common health data when they are used across various health information networks. As a result there is little integration between an individual’s health record and medical centers.Digital Personal Health Record can aid in providing solution to these issues.

Advantages

1.Individuals create their medical records,rather than depending on health care providers to create their health information records.

2.Can carry these records with them any time,any where unlike the paper based records.

3.Ability to carry a large volume of data in a variety of format like Multimedia files.

4.Secure-with only the individuals who create them or physicians having access to these data.

Disadvantages

1.Optical media like CDs,DVDs,or Blue Ray disc media are fragile and also cumbersome to carry around.

2.USB drive using 1.1 or 2.0 speed or even the U3 format are compact but breakable.

3.Programs running on these USB drives or optical media about Personal health care information should be secure.