Q & A

Q: What is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) exactly?
A: It is just as it sounds like, a record kept digitally that tracks a person's medical information, which will ideally cut costs, time, and increase efficiency in the medical realm.
Q:What are some of the possible benefits of having electronic medical records?
A: Specialists feel converting to electronic medical records will reduce errors significantly, make patient-doctor communication better, over time save the health care industry a lot of money and generally improve health care.
Q: How long would it take for the United States to convert to electronic medical records?
A: It is uncertain how long of a time frame it will be, the lowest or most optimistic predictions are by the end of 2011, some experts say it would take over a decade to be fully converted to these electronic records.
Q: What are some drawbacks from converting to electronic medical records?
A: Opponents to the idea of having a network of electronic medical records are two fold. The first being that it will not protect the privacy of the patient sufficiently, and secondly it will be a tremendous cost to convert all medical records digitally, a cost that does not yield equal benefits as its cost.
Q: Has there been any facilities that have tried converting their files to be held electronically?
A: Yes, in the state of Massachusetts, they are a pilot program converting 14,000 physicians offices to electronic records by 2012, and 63 hospitals by 2014.
Q: What else may result from everyone having an electronic medical record besides patients information being readily available and easily transferable?
A: Some experts say that it will lead to decreased trips to the doctor's office allowing patients to view information from their home and communicating with professionals via email.
Q: What precautions are or will be taken in insuring privacy of each clients record?
A: There is still debate in legislation as to how these records will be handled, the Obama administration has assured that privacy will be taken care of sufficiently when asked about the topic.
Q: Are there risks associated with medical fraud or identity theft?
A: Unfortunately yes, many critics who oppose funding a project that will potentially risk confidential information being stolen and manipulated argue that it puts the American public at a high risk for having their medical information corrupted and stolen.
Q: What implications does this system have on drug prescriptions?
A: Already, Medicare gives doctors a 2% bonus of they use an electronic prescribing system, many offices have reported millions in savings from using "E-prescribing". It also reduces risk of misprescribing from doctors and assistants from writing incorrect drugs or amounts.
Q: Where would a person be able to access their medical record?
A: Anywhere in the world, with an internet connection.