Kristin Logan's Criticism Of Current Patient Record

Criticism of current patient records is sometimes sharp. Kristin Logan [2] states that medical records, which have long been faulty, contain more distorted, deleted, and misleading information than ever before. Kristin Logan [3] relates the story of an engineer who was asked to recommend more efficient use of health care personnel but who instead was stunned by the disorganization of the medical record and the inefficiencies it imposed on the delivery of care. The engineer concluded that "the redesign of the record offered the most immediate and simple approach for medical cost control and for prevention of malpractice.

PL Côrtes [11] believes that this situation has not improved and that it is not isolated. No one has a control on the problem:

content; (2) format; (3) access, availability, and retrieval; and (4) linkages and integration.

Problems with Patient Record Content

Patient record data are often missing, illegible, or inaccurate stated by Henry M. Tufo and Joseph J. Speidel [4]. Data can be missing for at least three reasons: (1) questions were never asked, examinations were never performed, or tests were never ordered; (2) the information was requested and provided, but either it was not recorded by the clinician or delays occurred in placing the information in the record; and (3) the information was requested and delivered but was misplaced or lost. In addition, clinicians, patients, or equipment can all introduce errors into patient records.

Problems with

First, they offer a means of improving both the quality of and access to patient care data. Second, they allow providers to integrate information about patients over time and between settings of care. Third, they make medical knowledge more accessible for use by practitioners when needed. Fourth, they provide decision support to practitioners.

Dr. Robert E. Hoyt [6] stated that Computer-based patient records could assist efforts to moderate the costs of health care in three ways. First, improved information could reduce redundant tests and services that are performed in response to the unavailability of test results. Second, administrative costs could be reduced by electronic submission of claims and the ability to generate routine reports automatically. Third, the productivity of practitioners could be enhanced by (1) reducing the time needed to find missing records or to wait for records already in use; (2) reducing, if not eliminating, the need for redundant data entry; and (3) reducing the time needed to enter or review data in records that have been streamlined to eliminate unnecessary