August 26, 2004
Albany- A worker in medical records at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital made a common request today. "Check right there on the back of this file, that cabinet, and see if those are hers," She asks.
Soon, requests like this will be a thing of the past at the hospital. Chief Information Officer, Patty Massey explains "These paper charts will all be digitized and available by computer." That means no more searching through cabinets of patient files, or shuffling through their charts.
Doctors and nurses will have more time for their patients because their records will be available on-line through a new Med-Plus product called Chart Mex. "It's a multi-phased approach. We've already done the first two phases, and medical records for in-patients will be completed in about a month," explained Massey.
The system is designed to not only save time, but to prevent errors in record keeping. Massey says "This will allow them to be current with their history, see any test results, medication lists, other problems, allergies that are part of the patient chart that they might not otherwise have."
Doctors and nurses can also use their personal digital assistants to update patient charts. "It will also give the physicians the ability to electronically sign their charts," claimed Massey.
Paper files will eventually be no more. Massey explains "We will keep the paper for a period of time and then it will be destroyed, and we will no longer be storing paper," but they'll be storing information in a much faster way, eliminating errors and keeping patients safer.
Going electronic will also create more space for medical services at the hospital and reduce costs in storage space.
Posted by jennifer.hulsey@walb.com at 3:25 PM.
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