Physicians, of course, who adopt patient-maintained health records beyond the office files would benefit their practices both from the standpoint of information logistics and the enhancement of their relationships with their patients.
But, we haven't really explored the broader spectrum of medical practitioners to date. The wider view would include people like chiropractors, dentists, holistic practitioners, and, of course, specialists, surgeons, and all the many and varied medical support agencies and organizations, etc.
I believe that anyone who touches the lives of patients will ultimately need to embrace this form of information organization as a "new norm" as we move deeper into the 21st century. The benefits to their patients (or clients, as the case may be), are numerous. Not only will they enjoy a stronger and more complete knowledge of their health and their care, but armed with this new information, they will be in a position to interact on a more educated level with their caregivers ... that is to say, they will be able to ask better questions, obtain greater information about how ailments and medications, etc. may impact their lives, and make better decisions more as partners of their caregivers, than ever before.
But, we haven't really explored the broader spectrum of medical practitioners to date. The wider view would include people like chiropractors, dentists, holistic practitioners, and, of course, specialists, surgeons, and all the many and varied medical support agencies and organizations, etc.
I believe that anyone who touches the lives of patients will ultimately need to embrace this form of information organization as a "new norm" as we move deeper into the 21st century. The benefits to their patients (or clients, as the case may be), are numerous. Not only will they enjoy a stronger and more complete knowledge of their health and their care, but armed with this new information, they will be in a position to interact on a more educated level with their caregivers ... that is to say, they will be able to ask better questions, obtain greater information about how ailments and medications, etc. may impact their lives, and make better decisions more as partners of their caregivers, than ever before.
From a caregiver's standpoint, I suspect, that the peripheral groups like Dentists and Chripractors may benefit even more from the regular use of these instruments than their patients' GPs. If you assume that GPs tend to have closer and longer-term relationships with their patients, it would follow that they know more, at least generally, about them than a caregiver who may have only met this patient on one or two occasions. Having a complete record of past treatments, medications and an overall snapshot of this individual's wellness throughout their lifetime would be quite a powerful tool ... much greater than the current referral form combined with a cursory introductory questionnaire completed by GP and patient, respectively.
Further, there is much less chance that either the referring doctor or the patient would simply forget vital information that could prevent a serious medical error, a duplication of diagnostic test or treatment as happens more than most of us care to consider. Beyond all this, I find myself particularly thinking of the Chiropractic practitioner and the Dentist. With the documents upload function available in the LIFECompassTM PHR, there is facility to maintain a chronological database of x-rays and any other pictorial evidence of change over time.
Of course, this function would be beneficial to any sort of practitioner, I suppose, but I think it would be of particular interest to those who work from a baseline and need to be able to refer to original condition to ensure progress or decline.
Further, there is much less chance that either the referring doctor or the patient would simply forget vital information that could prevent a serious medical error, a duplication of diagnostic test or treatment as happens more than most of us care to consider. Beyond all this, I find myself particularly thinking of the Chiropractic practitioner and the Dentist. With the documents upload function available in the LIFECompassTM PHR, there is facility to maintain a chronological database of x-rays and any other pictorial evidence of change over time.
Of course, this function would be beneficial to any sort of practitioner, I suppose, but I think it would be of particular interest to those who work from a baseline and need to be able to refer to original condition to ensure progress or decline.
And, in the vein of Chiropractic and Dentistry practices, I would point to the regular treatment regimens that both prescribe. Whether we are looking at Dentists who, at minimum, suggest check-ups every six months, or Chiropractors who, upon diagnosis of a problem prescribe treatment, sometimes as often as 3-5 times per week initially, the immediacy with which the LIFECompassTM may be updated by the patient (or with their consent, the practitioner), would be a tremendous asset.
Combine this with its useful properties when their patient ends up in the ER and can readily advise of treatment only hours earlier, there is strong evidence that either, any or all of the peripheral medical groups could benefit both through the endorsement support of this device and even through the provision of a LIFECompassTM PHR to each of their patients.
Combine this with its useful properties when their patient ends up in the ER and can readily advise of treatment only hours earlier, there is strong evidence that either, any or all of the peripheral medical groups could benefit both through the endorsement support of this device and even through the provision of a LIFECompassTM PHR to each of their patients.
So, there you have it ... my ideas and thoughts. Would you care to share yours?!!!
Till next time,
What Direction Will You Choose? ... "compass"
Till next time,
What Direction Will You Choose? ... "compass"
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