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xchrom

(108,903 posts) Sun Oct 5, 2014, 08:18 AM Oct 2014

How Privatizing Medical Records Will Harm You

http://www.alternet.org/how-privatizing-medical-records-will-harm-you

Imagine you're a doctor at a clinic in New York City.

You have a patient come in who's in New York City on business. Their normal doctor is hundreds of miles away in California.

In order to treat the patient, you need access to their medical files from their doctor in California.

But, you learn that those files are stored in a digital program that your clinic doesn't use, making it next to impossible to get access to them, and to treat your patient.

This isn't just some hypothetical situation.

It's a scenario that's playing out all across the US today thanks to the conservative ideology that says our public spaces, our commons, which should include our health-care system, should instead be in the hands of for-profit companies.

3 replies

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How Privatizing Medical Records Will Harm You (Original Post) xchrom Oct 2014 OP

I like the VA having my records electronically yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #1

The VA is awesome that way newfie11 Oct 2014 #2

On the other hand, progress is being made MineralMan Oct 2014 #3

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)

1. I like the VA having my records electronically

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Sun Oct 5, 2014, 09:02 AM

Oct 2014

I went from Baltimore to Orlando and they had my entire history. More benefits then negatives in my opinion.

newfie11

(8,159 posts)

2. The VA is awesome that way

Reply to yeoman6987 (Reply #1)

Sun Oct 5, 2014, 09:10 AM

Oct 2014

My husband is treated by VA and on tons of meds. This computerized system helps greatly.

MineralMan

(146,333 posts)

3. On the other hand, progress is being made

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Sun Oct 5, 2014, 09:53 AM

Oct 2014

toward simple nationwide access to those medical records. Think back 20 years and replay your scenario. Then, there was no chance that your records would be instantly available to the doctor at that New York clinic for a patient from California. They'd have to be xeroxed and overnighted to NYC.

Today, electronic storage of medical records is beginning to be standardized. Before long, they will be in a standard format for storage and will be available when needed. Part of ACA and the Medicare system is about that standardization.

I can, in fact, access my own records online from the clinic system I use. I can't see MRI images, but I can review all of my lab results for the past several years. All I have to do is logon to a website.

The reality is that progress is being made to make medical records far more accessible, no matter where you are.

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