The use of electronic medical records in medical practices is fast becoming a reality everywhere.
"It has made patient care safer and better," said Dr. Eric Warm, M.D.
Warm is a primary care physician and an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati medical school’s Department of Internal Medicine.
"It's probably the single greatest tool that we've had in the last 18 years that I've been here," continued Warm.
Warm says the "old days" consisted of managing a stack of charts every day.
"In a paper chart you have one person's chart that isn't shared among any other physicians – and in that chart you're going to have a medication list and a problem list and a set of complaints that is unique to that chart,” said Warm.
“When the person goes to the next place, it's going to be a different chart and there's going to be a natural discordance between the two records," explained Warm.
The system also allows physicians to access patient information from home allowing them to call up information, for example, on the patient of a partner who they haven't seen.
Detractors worry patient information will be made more vulnerable by its availability online. Supporters tout the safeguards that come with the applications.
Warm suggests electronic medical records could save money, but says the jury is still out.
"It makes good intuitive sense that if I know what my other physicians have done, I don't have to repeat a test," said Warm.
