5 Reasons Why You Should Keep Online Health Records
4 min read
by the Healthdex team
Online or Electronic Health Records (EHR) are digital records of a patient’s medical information. It includes your medical history, treatments, immunizations, test results, and others. There are many benefits of electronic health records, five of which include access, updates, efficiency, organization, and storage.
1. Easier access
Electronic health records allow easier access for you and your doctors. You are able to access your health records using your gadgets anywhere and anytime. It would also help doctors save time searching through their documents and files to find your records. In addition, it is easier for you to send your health records if you wish to consult a medical care provider abroad.
2. Easier communication
Electronic health records make it easier for you to update your health records with accurate information. This helps medical care providers supply a more accurate diagnosis. They are given more information about you, including your medical history and other medications you might have taken that would coincide with medication they would have prescribed. Additionally, electronic health records can help facilitate easier communication between you and the medical care provider. When you need constant monitoring, doctors can easily ask for updates with regards to your health or vice versa, you can send updates and doctors can view the updates anytime they are available.
3. Increased Efficiency
Having your records online is more efficient when it comes to transferring health records from one doctor to another. Nowadays, if you decide to visit a doctor, you will have to manually retrieve the health records from your current doctor then send it to your new medical care provider. It is more difficult and hassle compared to sending your online records to your new doctor.
4. Improved Organization
Another benefit of having online health records is improved organization. Your health records will be compiled into one app or one platform, so you won’t have to take another test if you lose your current copy. You can categorize test results and other medical files for better organization and for faster searching. Furthermore, you can keep your family’s health records together with yours to optimize the organization of your family’s files, so all of your health records are kept in one place - no need for filing cabinets and multiple folders anymore.
5. Improved Storage
Electronic health records are better stored than paper health records. Paper health records take up a lot of space in your homes and as time progresses, the amount of papers you need to store increases as well. With that said, you may misplace some of your health records or your family’s health records which may lead to identity theft. Health records contain a lot of personal data that can be sold to the black market or used to charge you for products you don’t use or need.
These are just the key benefits that you may see when you start putting your health records online. We live in an age of technology, let’s use it to our advantage. Take ownership of your medical records so you can be your own health advocate.