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Importance of maintaining Medical Records online​

The medical history of a patient has developed into the most credible source of information for a plethora of uses. A typical medical record is requested by up to 150 end users. A medical record’s physical state and location become crucial due to the rising number of people who require the information it contains.

If you save this information on paper, it will quickly occupy plenty of room space. As you keep accumulating paper, storage prices rise, finding the files you need gets more difficult, and the files take up more and more room. Paper files are also prone to harm. If a fire or flood breaks out, you run the danger of losing years’ worth of records.

Consider filling out papers at the doctor’s office and being prompted to provide your medical background. You begin psychologically going backwards, and the terror sets in. How are you meant to recall events that occurred ten or twenty years ago? What was the name of that procedure? What medication did you take? For a lot of folks, this is a typical issue. The truth is, if you structured your medical records, you could avoid this fear.

For an individual’s health record to be clinically meaningful, it must begin at conception or birth. Every record of every clinical encounter represents a health-related event in one’s life as one progresses through life. Depending on the person’s current problems, each of these records may be insignificant or significant. As a result, it is critical that these records be available, longitudinally organised as a time series, and clinically relevant in order to provide a summary of the various healthcare events in a person’s life.

 

Disadvantages of Paper Medical Records

1. Storage cannot be scaled: Paper medical records require physical space for storage, in contrast to electronic medical records kept on cloud servers. Medical records for hundreds of thousands of patients may be stored on a single cloud server, but the physical files needed to support that capacity take up room space. These are priceless data vaults and need to be handled with care; it is not just a matter of assigning a room and dumping files in it.
 
2. Insufficient backups and security: What would you do if all of your physical data were destroyed in a fire? Or perhaps a moth infestation that literally consumes all of your data? Once lost, physical files cannot be recovered. However, since electronic records contain data backup and storage, there is still a backup method available even if a malevolent actor is able to access them.
 
 3. Time consuming and error prone: Paper medical records necessitate a manual writing process that is time-consuming and more prone to inaccuracy. If you’ve ever tried to read a doctor’s notes, you know the writing isn’t always clear and can be challenging to understand. These issues are not present in an electronic system because records are not handwritten, making the problem of legibility irrelevant. Additionally, the software will search for patient files for you rather than you having to do so in a physical cabinet (instantly).
 
After the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which was implemented in 2009, there was a first indication that paper medical records were being replaced by electronic ones. In order to make it simpler for doctors, physicians, and nurses to access patient records, this mandated healthcare organisations across the nation to modernise internal record systems and establish a centralised database. Since then, medical technology has advanced and healthcare information technology has changed.
 
 
Why Organising Your Medical Records Is Beneficial?
 
To organise your health records, gather all pertinent papers and data in one location, such as a binder or an online “folder.” Ideally, you should arrange them such that they are simple to read and sift through. There are many advantages to organising your health information in this way, including:
 
1. Simple access to crucial medical information: You’ve probably encountered circumstances where someone questioned you for the name of a specific medication or when you were given a specific immunisation. You’ll have no trouble locating that information if your medical records are structured. It will not only be useful for paperwork, but it might also be crucial for medical care. 
 
2. A greater comprehension of your personal health requirements: You may become more aware about your individual health requirements and history by organising your medical data. By keeping track of your data, you can see trends or be reminded of your doctor’s recommendations from earlier visits. If you’re taking care of many conditions, this is very crucial. For example, you may discover that your blood pressure has risen since an examination 10 years ago, or that last year your doctor recommended going on daily walks.
 
3. Being ready for emergencies: Having your medical records at hand could save your life if there is a pandemic or a national calamity (cough). Make copies of your insurance information, a list of the drugs you use now and in the past, and your doctor’s names and contact information.
 
4. Consistency among medical professionals: When seeing several doctors, seeking a second opinion, or changing primary care physicians, having your medical documents on hand will facilitate communication. For instance, having all of your medical history in one place will make the transition smoother if you move and need to “start over” with a new primary care physician.
 
Takeaway
 
If you’re not yet persuaded that digital is preferable to paper, consider these factors:
 
  • If a fire, flood, or other tragedy destroys the documents, how would you recover the files?
  • Are the costs of maintaining a paper file system worth the time, storage space, and effort required
  • Can you rapidly locate particular files when necessary?
Your medical records, medicines, and your health can all benefit from being organised.

 

Safeguard your data like a Pro with Medify

With Medify, you can build one consolidated health record of your full health history. Whether it’s data security or one-click accessibility, Medify offers both. Store & organise all your medical records bifurcated into Prescriptions, Case Papers, Reports, at a single place. Share your records with health care providers effortlessly. That’s not it! You can also manage Medical Records for your entire family in one easy and secure place. Medify is free to use and is available on the App Store and Google PlayStore.


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