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Protecting Patients with Electronic Dental Records.
When Barack Obama was elected president, one of the least reported stories was that he planned to overhaul the healthcare system by implementing electronic medical records. It has been a surprisingly controversial plan, largely because it is considered very expensive and difficult to universally implement. Most doctors and dentists, including those at the Stein Dental Group in Stamford Connecticut, already have switched over. The problem persists mostly in rural or poor areas. The importance, according to advocates of the program, is in making medical records and dental records standard so that other doctors and dentists can easily see what their colleagues in other areas have indicated. Patients who have left Stamford have been able to easily transfer their dental records from the Stein Dental Group, but in other areas some patients have had problems. Especially when it comes to medical records, and perhaps dealing with an unconscious patient, or one who doesn’t know what they are allergic to, it seems to be a good goal for a country as technologically savvy as we are. It has been described by Stamford, CT researchers as an investment that will be costly up front, but pay for itself over time in avoiding mistakes. Another factor in favor of universal electronic medical and dental records is the amount of space that would be saved. Some large hospitals and dentists offices have records rooms that are immeasurable. By converting these records to data, not only would space be saved, but doctors and dentists in other areas could access them if a patient moved. A huge paper file would be reduced to a small disk worth of space. For that reason, the electronic medical and dental records would be environmentally conscious by cutting down on the amount of paper that is required. This has been a consideration in Stamford, but some areas have been resistant because of the cost. We feel that investing in our patients’ future is critical. Going further, a lot of cost would be saved by how care could be coordinated. Duplicated tests could be avoided, which would save both insurers and patients. In an economy like this, anything that would cut down on healthcare costs would be preferred by both the public and insurance companies. The cost to Stamford, CT residents at the Stein Dental Group is lessened by taking these steps in advance. On a more personal level, red flags could be put in place to avoid potentially dangerous prescriptions or drug interactions. People who have to see multiple doctors and specialists could have all of their various diagnoses put in one place. Of course, in technologically advanced areas, such as Stamford Connecticut, this is already being rolled out. Having it universal across the country would go a long way towards protecting patients wherever they go. The biggest concerns about the plans are that there might potentially be a learning curve and that mistakes could be made. Of course, we’ve all seen news stories about mistakes made by doctors and dentists; human error is an unfortunate reality in medicine. Some patients’ rights groups are afraid that when mistakes are made that electronic data could be changed to protect doctors and dentists from malpractice. Researchers in Stamford Connecticut feel that this is mostly paranoia, although similar things have happened occasionally in the past. There is also a concern that the records could be hacked and that such private information could fall into the wrong hands. Regardless, most medical experts feel that electronic medical records are inevitable and will save time and money for both patients and caregivers. Fortunately for Stamford residents, this is already a reality. In the end, it’s most likely to be a positive development for both doctors and dentists’ offices.