Costco Connection - December 2011

health for your Wired for

Electronic health records
promise benefits for patients
and doctors alike

MEDIA BAKERY

By Jessica Cerretani

HAVE YOU EVER wished you could ask your doctor a non-urgent medical question without playing phone tag, or check your lab test results from your smartphone? If your physician’s office uses a comprehensive electronic health record system that includes “patient portal” capability, these scenarios could already be at your fingertips.

An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s medical history— test results, medications, illnesses, family history and more. Some EHR systems (such as that offered through Costco) include a patient portal function that allows the patient to access some or all of this information electronically and to contact his or her physician’s office with routine requests, such as scheduling appointments or renewing prescriptions, via secure email.

The number of medical professionals who rely on EHRs is increasing: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 50 percent of U.S. physicians currently use some sort of EHR system. Other surveys suggest that about a quarter of physicians who use EHRs also offer patient portals. Those numbers are expected to rise, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provides financial incentives to doctors who use EHRs that meet certain standards.

“An EHR gives your doctor a complete view of your medical record in one place,” says Blackford Middleton, M.D., director of clinical informatics for Partners HealthCare in Massachusetts. “I often advise people not to see a doctor unless he or she has an EHR system.”

In good health

There’s no doubt that EHRs can offer con-
veniences for patients and doctors alike. “A
nurse or technician enters the patient’s vital
signs and medical history in the computer,”
explains Lauren Chasin, M.D., an Idaho-based
family physician who began using an EHR sys-
tem last year. “That frees up my time to ask
more targeted questions, and the patient
doesn’t have to keep repeating the same infor-
mation over and over. The EHR helps both of
us make the most of the visit.”
“Our patients really like that we can pre-
scribe electronically,” says Aisha Ikramuddin,
the office manager for a New Jersey allergy
clinic that recently adopted an EHR system
through Costco Services. “They can watch the
doctor send the prescription to their pharmacy
over a secure Internet connection, so they
know it’s been taken care of before they even
leave the office.”
The benefits don’t end there. A growing
body of evidence suggests that the use of EHRs
may even improve health. One 2011 study, pub-
lished in the New England Journal of Medicine,
found that patients with diabetes whose physi-
cians use electronic health records are better
able to manage the condition.

The Costco Connection

For members who are healthcare providers, Costco offers an electronic health record (EHR) and practice management (PM) solution provided by Etransmedia Technology Inc., which includes Allscripts™ My Way, with exclusive member pricing. Those who purchase by February 3, 2012, will receive a $100 Costco Cash card.

Physicians may be eligible for up to $44,000 in federal stimulus incentives. For details, visit Costco.com and search “EHR20,” or call toll-free 1-877-347-6114.

Eligibility requirements apply. See www.costcoehr.com for details.

Another recent study showed that patients whose physicians used EHRs had better control over their high blood pressure than patients whose doctors don’t use these systems. EHRs can also prevent medical errors by ensuring that doctors prescribe the correct medication and don’t miss patient allergies or drug interactions.

A dose of caution

EHRs are not without controversy, and critics worry that the systems could threaten patient privacy by putting health information online. While privacy breaches have occurred, Middleton points out that human error— rather than technical glitches in EHR systems—is usually to blame, and can be remedied through better user training.

If privacy is violated, protections are in place: Data is encrypted, and physicians can check who has accessed the information electronically—perks not possible with paper records. Overall, says Middleton, “the benefits of EHRs absolutely outweigh the potential risks.”

All systems go

As with most technologies, EHRs are expected to become even more user-friendly over time. Some systems that include patient portals already allow patients to view their record from mobile devices. Combined with apps that help users track their weight, nutrition and fitness, EHRs could someday enhance what Chasin says is already a major advantage of digital care: helping patients become active partners in their healthcare. “EHRs streamline things for doctors,” she says. “But they’re especially fantastic from a patient perspective.” C