By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS PROBABLY MORE SECURE THAN PAPER

Question: My doctor is getting an electronic medical record in her office. I am very nervous about this. Will my information be safe? How will I know someone won’t hack into it? Perhaps I should change doctors.

Answer: In 1996 congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to the make it easier for workers to take health insurance coverage along with them when they change jobs, to develop standards for the electronic exchange of health-care information, and to protect the privacy of that information. The electronic medical record (EMR) addresses two of these issue by giving patients and doctors a completely private medical record that is easily accessible online when needed.

I think that the EMR is really a better way to maintain your health-care information. It’s been used in other countries -- notably Australia and Great Britain -- for many years. So we know they work well and have more advantages than disadvantages.

Studies have shown that with the old-fashioned paper system, up to 30 percent of the time your complete medical record is not retrieved for your physician when you go for an appointment. This problem is eliminated with an EMR.

An EMR can also help to keep the information in your medical record more accurate. Two examples that I’ve seen in my own practice will help me illustrate the point. You go to an eye doctor for a vision check, a ENT doctor for a sinus problem and allergist for a skin problem, but these doctors do not share their records with your family physician. Or, you’ve had surgery in the past but can’t remember the hospital or the doctor’s name. When the EMR proposal is completely implemented, both of these problems will be solved. Any medical care provider you authorize will be able to electronically view any other physician’s electronic records over a secure web connection.

This sharing of information is a little ways off, but it could save many lives and countless dollars. Not only is it useful in everyday medical practice, but the ability to access information immediately across great distances would be invaluable in emergency situations.

Another piece of information that is frequently missing in the hospital emergency department or even at a doctor’s appointment is the medication list. This is particularly a problem for people on many medications and who go to several doctors. Duplication of medication can be fatal in some cases. An EMR would help eliminate that problem, too.

Finally, there is an offshoot of an EMR called the personal health record (PHR). This is a secure, password protected electronic health record that the patient can access online to check on lab results or even schedule appointments. This allows the patient to check his or her health information for accuracy.

You are right to be concerned about privacy, but those concerns should apply to paper records as well as electronic records. The security procedures being implemented for your EMR are as good as those used by your bank for online account access. This means that there are electronic “fingerprints” left when your record is accessed that do not exist for paper records. Please discuss your concerns with your physician. She can explain what is being done to protect your information.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.