Electronic Medical Records Errors

The Huffington Post did an investigative piece on Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). Their conclusion...not good. The report mentions misread files and general software glitches. An effective EMR system is designed to track a patient from admission to the time the final bill is paid. It should recognize potential drug interactions. It should notify the system of potential abusers. It should ensure that patient care is consistent throughout the care cycle. While this article may not paint a complete picture (how many patient errors were prevented by the EMRs?), it does address some legitimate and preventable concerns.

Who remembers the old computer programmers' acronym GIGO...Garbage In, Garbage Out? Never has this acronym been more true than with the medical conversion to digital records. The first step in the process is fairly simple, scanning existing paper records into a digital format. Many medical offices have decided to do this themselves as a cost saving measure. While in theory, there is nothing wrong with this, it usually doesn't save money and the image quality is often lacking. GRM Document Management is able to scan the records in a fraction of the time. Despite our speed, we have a thorough quality control process, ensuring the integrity of the image. When scanning is done properly, it's a lot more difficult for a record to be misread. We can host the images in a secure web portal or we can integrate with an EMR.

EMRs are expensive and government stimulus money may or may not cover the entire cost of conversion, but it's not the time to be frugal. It's crucial that offices invest in a quality software and in training of their staff to prevent further and more costly problems like government fines and malpractice suits.

Records in the News

Happy Records and Information Management Month!!!!

In keeping with the theme of the month, it's been a big week in records management news.

The biggest news may be about the smallest records...140 characters to be exact. The Library of Congress announced this week that they are going to archive Twitter posts.

In weightier news, the Security and Exchange Commission has charged investment firm, Goldman Sachs with fraud. The announcement sent its stock tumbling.

Theft of electronic medical records has increased by 112% from 2008 to 2009. The increase is probably due to the conversion from paper records to digital in the medical field. More than anything, this news emphasizes the needs to work with qualified vendors and to adhere to best practices.

3.3 million student loan records were stolen from a non-profit called, Educational Credit Management Corp. The information included names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers of borrowers who have entered bankruptcy.