Electronic medical records have the potential to completely revolutionize the medical imaging industry, allowing physicians to easily document and monitor patients’ health statuses and improve quality of care. With a marked reduction in repeated exams, health care could experience a significant decline in overall expenses and an uptick in patient satisfaction.
With the technological advancement of PACS systems, radiologists are beginning to reap the benefits of imaging equipment that can be successfully integrated with EMRs. This can be critical to the decision making abilities of the physicians working in emergency departments. A new study, published in the medical journal Health Affairs, highlighted the benefits of granting EMR access to radiologists.
Led by John Ulmer, M.D., professor of radiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the researchers examined 2,000 head CT scans ordered by physicians at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. Ulmer and his colleagues analyzed the gathered medical data entered by emergency physicians and compared it to information in the EMR that was accessed by the interpreting radiologist, FierceEMR reported. What they found was that, in 6.1 percent of the cases, the extra information found in the EMR probably had a significant impact on the interpretation of exams and the way in which patients were treated. The argument could be made that, without the EMR access, the radiologists might have recommended inappropriate digital imaging orders or given an inaccurate diagnosis.
“In my mind, it would be below the standard of care to practice radiology and to interpret imaging studies without access to the [EMR],” said Ulmer, quoted by DOTmed.com.
Protecting data privacy
While it can be said that EMRs can enhance physicians’ abilities to deliver quality health care, keeping patient information safe and secure is essential to the process. According to Advance Healthcare Network Executive Insight, almost 30 million records have been exposed since September 2009 and, on average, roughly 20,000 people may have their information leaked each day.
Although the safety regulations established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act address the integrity and privacy of medical data, compliance with the stipulations does not guarantee security. Because of this, physicians should take extra steps when seeking to integrate their EMRs into diagnostic imaging settings.
- Update software: All products should be checked for updates that enhance security measures and repair possible bugs that may possibly be present. Computer operating systems, Web browsers and any medical software can be vulnerable when left unchecked by IT professionals for performance upgrades. If auto updates are not set up, radiologists might want to contact vendors for additional support.
- Encrypt beyond passwords: Login information and other security protocols can serve as viable road blocks to would-be hackers. However, passwords are not enough in this day and age to take on malicious Internet activity. Radiologists should consider two-step authentication, such as fingerprint scanners or smartphone apps. They might also want to look into fully encrypting all of their data to make it harder for criminals to glean information from breaches.
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Ronny Bachrach
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