One important area in the medical field is that of digital records management. Ideally, the more information that is readily available to doctors, the better. It would seem that if doctors and other care providers had access to a patient’s complete medical history, it would give them the best chance to issue proper medical care.
But recently, controversy has enveloped the topic of electronic health records. While the government is pouring around $30 billion in incentives for the installation and use of digitized patient records, some critics are saying these efforts could be leading to medical errors. Specifically, these critics believe that the records are sometimes filled with too much information.
A University of Pennsylvania professor fears that because information can be cut and pasted between charts, a patient’s record could grow to thousands of pages. This overabundance of data could make it difficult for a doctor to locate important facts buried in a record.
However, officials with the Department of Health and Human Services have recently stated that any potential problems presented by electronic health records are far outweighed by their benefits.
Regardless of the technology in place, medical professionals must be diligent when using a patient’s records. This means they should go over all pertinent information carefully and accurately enter new information as a treatment progresses.
Should a doctor or other medical professional fail to apply a reasonable standard of care to a patient’s treatment, the consequences could be tragic. If a doctor does not properly interpret a patient’s records, then that patient could be misdiagnosed. This could lead to medication errors or a failure to treat a serious condition or illness.
If you are harmed due to doctor’s errors, you may have the basis for a medical malpractice suit. A Pennsylvania attorney could look at the facts of the situation and advise you on your best possible options for seeking compensation and justice.