Electronic Medical Record

Electronic medical records (EMR) will bring safety, efficiency and convenience enhancements to health care. Mayo Health System has had an electronic medical record project under way since 2006. Lake City Medical Center will transition to electronic medical record on March 6, 2009, and all Mayo Health System sites will be on board by 2012.

“This has been a huge undertaking for Mayo Health System, with 12 hospitals and 75 clinics,” says Tom Witt, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Lake City Medical Center. “It’s important that we implement an electronic medical record as a group, not as individual organizations, so we can share resources and our systems can communicate with each other and with Mayo Clinic in Rochester.”

Dr. Witt and Dennis Spano, M.D., medical director at Lake City Medical Center, answer questions about the electronic medical record.

“As we transition to the EMR, we do ask patients for their understanding and patience throughout the first few weeks,” says Dr. Witt. “While all of us will have extensive training on how to use the EMR, it will be a new tool for us. Consequently, we anticipate patients may experience some short and temporary delays.” Dr. Witt says patients who need routine check-ups or have non-urgent matters during the month of March may not be able to be scheduled for an appointment as quickly as expected. In addition, wait times to check-in and to see a provider may be longer than anticipated in part because each patient will have to be re-registered in the new system.

Q: What are the benefits of the electronic medical record to patients?
A: Dr. Witt: Your medical information will be in one easily accessible location. The electronic medical record will include a list of medications you take and any allergies you have, which will help to prevent medication errors. For example, if you are prescribed a medication that is not compatible with another medication you already take, the electronic medical record will flag that conflict to your provider’s attention. If you are allergic to a medication and you’re hospitalized, the allergy information will be prominently displayed for your health care team.

The electronic medical record also gives providers access to up-to-date research and treatment guidelines. If you are diagnosed with a particular condition, the provider can check the latest news about it and treatment recommendations.

If you receive care at another location within Mayo Health System or, your electronic medical record can be accessed by those providers and will be updated with information about the care you receive so your Lake City Medical Center providers have all the information about your health.
 
Q: Will the electronic medical record include patients’ historical health information?
A: Dr. Spano: Initially, the electronic medical record will contain the past 18 to 36 months of patients’ medical information. Providers will access paper records for older information if necessary for care.

Q: How do you ensure confidentiality of patients’ medical information?
A: Dr. Witt: Protecting patients’ medical information is extremely important to Lake City Medical Center and throughout Mayo Health System and Mayo Clinic. Unauthorized access to health information violates our policies and is against the law. We’ve taken steps to secure electronic medical record information with password-protected devices that allow us to monitor who accesses patient records.

Q: Will the information in my medical record be used to study diseases or determine the best care for a condition?
A: Dr. Spano: Yes but only in a general sense. Mayo Health System and Mayo Clinic will be able to monitor how different diseases and conditions are treated and how patients respond to treatment. This can help us quickly identify illness trends and determine which treatments work best.

However, confidential medical information such as a patient’s name will not be shared with researchers or outside groups, including other providers, without written permission from patients.

Q: Will patients notice anything different at appointments?
A: Dr. Witt: Patients may not see many differences during their appointments other than staff typing information into the computer instead of writing it in on a paper chart. Their health care providers, though, will be able to see that all medical data and results are current, view medication allergy alerts, and help ensure the best possible care is being delivered.

Q: Will patients have access to their electronic medical records?
A: Dr. Spano: Not right away, but we are working on “a patient portal” that would enable you to view portions of your medical record. It’s something we want to provide eventually because we know patients want this capability.