Electronic Medical Records: Preventive Care's Best Friend
Premier HealthNet’s Epic and MyChart Systems Making Healthcare More Efficient, Patient Friendly
DAYTON, Ohio (January 29, 2013) – In today’s busy world, it’s difficult to stay up-to-date on physicals, immunizations, health screenings and other preventive care measures. But with the help of technology, Premier HealthNet is making it all a little easier.
Epic, Premier HealthNet’s electronic medical record system, not only stores patient data so that it’s easily accessible, it facilitates proactive, preventive care.
“When a physician logs in to a patient record, a flag in the Health Maintenance section will alert them to any outdated or upcoming preventive measures,” says Nicholas Davis, MD, a Premier HealthNet physician. “It notifies the doctor that the patient is overdue for a tetanus shot, flu shot, mammogram, colonoscopy or other preventive measure.”
The physician has the ability to alter the Health Maintenance section within the program on a patient-by-patient basis. For patients with life-altering conditions such as diabetes or a family history of breast or colon cancer, the doctor can increase the frequency of preventive tests and automatic notifications.
MyChart, the patient version of the Epic system, allows patients to access their personal medical records online using a secure username and password. MyChart also makes it easy for patients to stay up-to-date on their preventive health screenings. Upon log in, a patient who is in need of a preventive test or screening will receive a red flag alert in the Health Reminders section. For patients who may not log in to their MyChart account on a regular basis, the system will also send an email notification letting them know they have a new alert when a test result is posted, an appointment is made or a message from the office is sent.
“Even more convenient is the MyChart smart phone app for both iPhone and Android users,” says Dr. Davis, who practices at Centerville Family Medicine. “This is great for patients who may travel a lot, need to get medical information quickly when they are not near a computer, or want to reference something just before a doctor’s visit.”
Another benefit of Epic is that it’s used across the Premier Health system, which means physicians in Premier Health hospitals and other facilities can access a patient’s chart in case of emergency. Physicians are able to share notes and updates with one another quickly and easily through the system, alerting one another to a patient’s care or issues that may need a follow up appointment or further care.
“For instance, if I have a patient who is admitted to the hospital or referred to a specialist, I can see notes from the emergency room or from the cardiologist,” says Dr. Davis. “This is a huge benefit because it keeps primary care physicians up-to-date, there is less duplication and the system increases the communication between healthcare providers.”
To learn more about how to accurately access a MyChart account, or to find a Premier HealthNet primary care physician, visit www.premierhealthnet.com/doctor.
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