spoiler alert: this post makes reference to the July 13 episode on CBC
Today, Blanche's Polish Hip is proud to present another in a series of educational articles to help you, loyal Coronation Street watchers, acquire a better appreciation for current healthcare issues. Today, Gail Platt, dedicated healthcare worker from Weatherfield, talks about Electronic Health Records (EHR) and their vital importance in modernizing our health care system.
BPH: Good morning Ms. Platt
Gail: That's Ms. McIntyre if you don't mind. And could you hurry this along. My son needs me.
BPH: Of course. First, could you explain to our punters (er.. readers) exactly what an EHR is?
Gail: Well, an electronic health record is a computerized digital file which contains all the information about a patient in an easy-to-read, easily accessible format. It can be accessed through a personal computer by anyone who has the right to know about anyone who may be linked to her wonderful, darling son.
BPH: David?
Gail: No, you plank. Nicky. As a minor healthcare busybody in Britain's vast health information network, I have the right to hack in (I mean access) electronic health care records in order to safeguard my family and have a nose-around whenever I feel like it.
BPH: But what about privacy and security?
Gail: Precisely! There's too much privacy and security. How am I supposed to quickly and efficiently find out about other people's health problems in the dead of night? Do you know how long it took me to get into Natasha's health records? Anyone could come have come in while I was nosing around (in fact my mother did stick her oar in). They should make it easier and faster for anyone like me, who thinks they have a right to poke around in other people's private business, to scan EHRs at their leisure -- without interfering doctors getting in the way.
BPH: Are there any other benefits to EHRs? Efficiency? Better patient care? Fewer prescription mistakes?
Gail: Oh yes! I use them to help me keep track of who has -- and hasn't -- contributed to the staff biscuit fund here at the clinic. I just stick a note in their confidential medical file. Believe it or not there's some unethical people round here who have no qualms about stealing a Peek Freans without paying!
BPH: Thanks for your time
I hope Natasha's Doctor from the clinic visits her and finds out about Gail's accessing the EHR - would be nice to see her sacked!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I suspect that Gail will get her comeuppance one way or another. She usually does. She's on thin ice at the clinic anyway (took a lot of time off for murder trial & there was the incident when Joe broke into the clinic and trashed the place). Don't think it would take much for get to get the boot...
ReplyDeletecheers and all the best, Corrie
This reminds me of an article I remember reading. In the article it talked about how in the future, all somebody would have to do to check into a doctor's office would be to just walk through the door. Apparently, a scanner would read the person's profile and access the information from the national database...sounds great, but I'm not sure how anxious I am to have my information accessible like that.
ReplyDelete