EMIS extends online patient record access

1

Brilliant Idea!

09 Jul 08 09:07

I think this is a brilliant idea and I hope it will be emulated soon by other GP system providers (including the one I'm with). I think this will really help patients take appropriate responsibility for their own health. In such a good cause, I would even be prepared to use that horrible Americanism: "patient empowerment"!

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2

Likely users

09 Jul 08 12:07

I'd echo the first comment and add that I think the point made about the frequency of access to GP held records in the report is a good one.

For a proportion of individuals, seeing their record will be as dull as ditch water but for those who are managing long term conditions or who want to take a more pro-active role in their own healthcare (or with permission a loved one) to be able to see for themselves in their own time what the doctor sees can only strengthen the doctor / patient relationship.

To also hear that 1 in 8 EMIS Practices are now offering on-line booking of appointments and giving the ability for patients to save time and expense ordering repeat prescriptions is also positive news. As patients get used to having on-line access to their Practice for routine things, it is likely to encourage people to take further steps towards self care.

One to watch!

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3

Ticking the right boxes

09 Jul 08 15:07

This is the way to go for patient access to their records. For many GPs, this ticks all the right boxes. The GP practice controls what the patient can access or do (send messages/request meds/view attachments etc) on a system wide or individual patient basis.

For the patient: full explicit consent before this is enabled and most importantly no data being uploaded into someone else's hands. No issues with secondary use/misuse of data. No issues about who has access to the data or who will subsequently have access tomorrow (no access for Waynetta from home help...)

But let's be realistic. For the overwhelming majority of patients, such access to their records and letters will be for curiosity rather than any belief that this will benefit their health or their care. And most patients would prefer to email their repeat prescription (if their surgery allows that) - ours certainly do.

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4

A good step in the right direction. . .

09 Jul 08 17:07

Even though this only covers the GP held elements of the record, it's pointing us to where those patients who do want to access their record can do.

Not everyone (at the moment) is desperate to access their record, evidence from other healthcare systems shows that the more you make available, the more patients start to take an active interest, which has to be a good thing.

I now hope we see the same support behind the bigger plan to allow us to access our records (including community & hospital activity) via healthspace.

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5

Complementary (information) therapy

09 Jul 08 22:07

Setting aside the outrageous snobbery in the comment about 'Waynetta from home help', the last correspondent could also have added 'no access for people in out of hours and unscheduled care'. What EMIS is doing is good and useful and is a large piece of the jigsaw, but this should be in addition to the Summary Care Record, not instead of it.

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6

re: Complementary (information) therapy

10 Jul 08 14:07

It would appear as if EMIS themselves agree with the last comment. This taken from the original story.

"Riddell said practices could choose when and if they took advantage of the EMIS Access services and that medical record access would complement other initiatives such as Microsoft’s HealthVault and Connecting for Health’s HealthSpace initiative."

I also recall something in these pages recently describing an out of hours integration involving EMIS and ? so it appears there are parallel developments taking place which is a good thing.

It's even conceivable that when deployed some people could opt out of the SCR and still be avid users of direct access to their full GP held record and could share that themselves in an emergency (I still believe anyone with a serious allergy should be encouraged to wear a bracelet however as no computer system is useful if a person is unconscious and can't identify themselves - much less ask for a decent internet connection!). The question is, how many individual GPs and Practices will take the initiative and make it available - it can only be a good thing?

Just a point on an earlier comment about accessing hospital and community information via healthspace - shouldn't all relevant info find its way back to the GP record anyway?