How do Electronic Medical Records work?
There are many different systems available, but the basic idea is that when a patient sees a doctor for a visit, whether it is for a sick or well patient consultation, the information collected in the visit is entered into the patient’s computerized file. The paperless chart is neatly organized with subfolders such as: x-rays, lab results, office visits, emergency room visits, medicines, phone calls and so forth. During each office visit, phone call or hospital stay, new information can be entered into the chart in several ways. Most systems have different “templates” that the doctor uses on his lap top. A template guides the physician through a standard protocol of questioning, depending on the patient’s reason for the visit. For example, as the doctor questions the patient’s recent health, a question on the template could be, “Have you had a fever?” The doctor would click on “yes” or “no”. If the answer were, “Yes”, then other questions regarding the severity and duration of the feve
