Patients and EMRs, EMR Value, and Healthy Food Guide: Around Healthcare Scene

Hospital EMR and EHR

What do Patients Need From EMRs?

Meaningful Use Stage 3 requires that EMRs be accessible by both patients and providers for comments. This post contains several suggestions for what patient data must include. Some points discussed include links to medical information (to help identify unfamiliar terms), the ability to view information in different views, and mobile access to health information.

Adolescent Data Needs Stronger EMR Protections, Group Says

The AAP recently came out with a statement concerning the protection of adolescents in EMR. They believe that adolescents don’t enjoy the same protection as adults do, and this needs to change. To help with this, the AAP has presented a list of principals that should “govern” EMRs, PHRs, and HIEs. Some of the ideas include creating criteria for EMRs that meed standards for adolescent privacy, and flexibility within standards for protection of privacy for diagnoses, lab tests, etc. These new suggestions will place an added burden on EMR vendors.

EMR and EHR

EMR Value Diminished If Patients Can’t Access Care

A recent study was released that analyzed primary care practices in 10 countries around the world. While it indicated that more US physicians are using EMRs than in the past, a large percentage patients in the US are still struggling to pay for health treatments. This is well-below the numbers from other countries surveyed. This may suggest that even if EMR is in use, it doesn’t really matter if patients can’t afford getting help.

New Healthcare Facility Experiences IT Growing Pains

Jennifer Dennard recently has to visit a new facility in the area in order to treat an illness. She was pleasantly surprised with the facility, and recounts her experience here. However, she discusses some of the IT “growing pains” the facility is experiencing, such as still using paper prescriptions.

Smart Phone Health Care

Healthy Food Guide Uses MyPlate.Gov Standards to Track Calories

There are many mobile food diaries available, and a new one just hit the market. Healthy Food Guide puts a twist on the typical calorie counting idea, and helps its users make sure they are getting enough of each food group. There’s a few glitches here and there that need to be worked out, but it’s a neat little alternative to some of the other diaries out there, because of how simple and to the point it is.

About the author

Katie Clark

Katie Clark is originally from Colorado and currently lives in Utah with her husband and son. She writes primarily for Smart Phone Health Care, but contributes to several Health Care Scene blogs, including EMR Thoughts, EMR and EHR, and EMR and HIPAA. She enjoys learning about Health IT and mHealth, and finding ways to improve her own health along the way.

   

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