Do Electronic Personal Health Records Improve Outcomes?.

Not only are patients seeking out better treatments and lifestyles that promote health, they’re actively keeping records of their health. Their expectations are higher than ever when it comes to health information management and sharing, and hospitals and clinics that can meet these patient expectations are those that will see continued growth. 

Patients with serious health issues are particularly keen to keep accurate records of every aspect of their health, including prescriptions, test results, imaging and surgical procedures. Several companies offer identification products such as wristbands, bracelets or necklaces that offer information about the wearers’ health issues. Some patients keep a medical emergency sheet in the wallet or purse that contains identification data, phone numbers, a list of allergies and medical conditions, list of doctors and prescriptions.

But keeping electronic personal health records with much more detailed information is becoming a priority for more Americans. Paper records have several disadvantages, including the fact that they aren’t easy to obtain quickly, they can be lost or accidentally destroyed, and they are often in several different locations. Electronic personal health records allow all images and other data to be pulled up at any computer terminal within reach of the patient.

Why are electronic personal health records improving health outcomes?

–  Patients that have utilized electronic personal health records say it has been a proactive step in improving their health outcomes. Many hospitals are establishing portals for electronic personal health records, which gives patients unlimited access to their records. These portals are often set up on pages where patients can click on links to blogs about healthful living. After viewing lab results or doctors’ notes, the patient can click on helpful links that further their education on personal health issues.

–   A noticeable upsurge in the number of patients seeking out electronic personal health records has occurred recently as technology, including cloud technology, has offered more options for patients. The systems tied to personal health records are more than just a storage unit for data; patients now have the tools to take more self-guided steps in health education that leads to a more healthful way of living.

–    Natural disasters wipe out entire infrastructures, which includes physical copies of health-related information. In some cases, a patient’s entire medical history is wiped-out. Electronic personal health records exist in the cloud, which means it’s backed-up and not vulnerable to natural disasters. In terms of patient care and outcomes, this means not losing critical time and critical information when a provider needs immediate access to radiological images and other data, which can save lives. It also helps preserve and maintain the long-term loyalty and trust of patients toward their healthcare team.

OffSite Image Management, Inc., provides vendor neutral archiving services that can help hospitals and clinics take care of all electronic personal health records that a patient could possibly need. OffSite offers data storage, cloud management, and picture archiving communications systems that put patients in touch with their data at a moment’s notice. OffSite offers patients piece of mind knowing that their data is stored securely and will not be lost – as well as can be easily shared quickly among numerous clinics and physicians.  We are an industry leader in radiology and DICOM images.