Are Your Medical Records Online?

Electronic medical records are changing the the face of
health care. With electronic medical records, the obvious goal is
better patient care at reasonable costs. Hastily scribbled (and barely
discernible) paper notes are a thing of the past. Doctors gain access
to patient history and electronic medical records with a few
clicks–whether they’re in the office or not. But lets not fool
ourselves. It’s not just about patient care. It’s about making more
money for the office …

Medical care providers aren’t just medical care providers.
They’re money making machines. A well-oiled office bills faster and
smarter. These savvy practices implement electronic medical record
software for two primary reasons: to make their jobs easier and to make
their practice more profitable.

The implementation of electronic medical records is a good thing. It
will bring better care. And it’s providing a healthy shot in the arm
for the tech industry–both hardware providers and software developers.
These are big ticket items. Hospital systems can reach into eight
figure territory.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA)
compliance is an important issue for medical providers. HIPPA mandates
that every medical insurance company have the ability to accept
electronically submitted claims. Medical care providers, however, are
not required to submit claims electronically just yet–it’s still an
option.

It’s essential that electronic medical records be kept safe and
secure. While a medical office may have the ability to access medical
records over the Internet–depending on the system they use–their
system must have safeguards to prevent information from falling into
the wrong hands. Have you noticed that your local pharmacy has recently
changed the layout of their prescription pick up area to provide more
privacy? Those changes were brought about by the federal government’s
rules, not by choice.

For more information on HIPAA, check out the Health Resources and
Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ HIPAA Web Site.

And the next time you’re sitting in your doctor’s waiting room, with
time to waste before your appointment, ask how the practice is dealing
with their electronic medical records …