Health Records - Yours - and How They're Managed

Written by Julie Taylor

Health consumers - probably every one of us - can now access their own health records and so to take a proactive approach to our own health care and to make decisions from a more knowledgeable place.  Yay!

This system means that - if you wish and completely at your own discretion - your various doctors and healthcare practitioners can access your records and that should improve your care.  As things are today, often the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing so this is exciting progress! 

There is also a different computer ‘language’ spoken by different institutions - for example the hospital, your local pharmacy and your doctor.  Now, if you wish, your pharmacist will be able to access your records and make sure that your prescriptions are not only accurate but that they work together well and reflect the best care available for you - because he will be able to see all of your prescriptions from all of your doctors rather than just the ones he has personally filled for you.  Your family doctor will be able to immediately read the hospital specialist’s opinion and look at your x-rays.  The possibilities are endless.  

This EHR - or electronic health record - means that your records now can reflect a more holistic picture of your health - and you decide who can have access to your private information.  All this won’t be fully operational for a few more months but it is nevertheless very good news.

Another way to keep your whole family's healthcare information at your fingertips is with a book like this one: 'Your Family Health Organizer: Record Parent' and Kids' Medical Information All in One Place (Ring-bound) by Jodie Pappas.  ReBuildingYou depends on your support to grow - BUY HERE - by clicking on the blue words or on the picture - the prices are exactly the same and you'll be supporting your RBY at the same time. Amazon has rigorous standards for all the companies that it associates with - such as this one - and is completely trustworthy.

Taking control of your own health feels kind of scary at first.  In one way it's easier to hand over responsibility to your doctor and to just follow his directions blindly.  On the other hand, deep down I think we all know that there are so many things that can affect our health and our poor doctor can't possibly know everything about everyone.  Taking control of your own health is not only a recipe for better healthcare but it's also really empowering.  Monitor changes in your own blood pressure with this sphygmomanometer (blood pressure guage) or this easier to use Omron HEM-780 Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor with ComFit Cuff. ReBuildingYou depends on your support to grow - BUY HERE - by clicking on the blue words or on the picture - the prices are exactly the same and you'll be supporting your RBY at the same time. Amazon has rigorous standards for all the companies that it associates with - such as this one - and is completely trustworthy.

In different parts of the world health care is managed differently and you need to find out how it is managed where you live.  However, if I share with you something that’s happened recently in BC, Canada you can at least find out what ‘the rules’ are in your own health system - and speak with knowledge about what’s possible and happening elsewhere.  Consumers also control who is able to access their records - I like that!  I felt uncomfortable - unhealthily vulnerable - with the way things were before.

This is the actual press release:

BRITISH COLUMBIANS GET OPTION TO MANAGE HEALTH RECORDS

As of July 17, British Columbians can begin to apply disclosure directives to manage their Electronic Health Record (EHR) in advance of the system going live later this year and throughout 2010.

An EHR is a secure and private record of patient’s health history and care within the health system. Currently, health professionals face challenges in getting patient information from records held in different places and different electronic and paper formats. The EHR will unify patient information and give authorized health professionals electronic access to secure patient health records when and where they deliver care. A disclosure directive allows a patient to decide which of their records can be accessed by a health professional who does not have the keyword provided by a patient. If a patient can provide their keyword to the health professionals caring for them, then their records can be temporarily accessed. However, if a patient does not remember their keyword, or a health professional involved with their care does not have it, disclosure directives may result in delays – except in case of an emergency. eHealth will enable faster, safer and better health care by reducing delays, errors and test duplication and also improve the privacy and security of personal health records. The new regulation coming into effect is part of the legislative framework that governs the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information in electronic health records and comes from the e-Health (Personal Health Information Access and Protection of Privacy) Act, which was introduced in spring 2008.

British Columbians who wish to make a disclosure directive on their EHR can visit www.health.gov.bc.ca/ehealth/dd.html or call Health Insurance B.C. in the Lower Mainland: 604-683-7151 or elsewhere in B.C. at 1-800-663-7100.  I also encourage other health jurisdictions to see what’s possible and consider committing to this ‘Healthcare From The Ground Up’ style of healthcare management.  

If anyone reading this enjoys a better or similar system in their own country I would love to hear from them CLICK HERE.  By sharing knowledge, we can take charge of and improve our own healthcare!