Giving patients real-time access to their medical records is a step towards putting them in the driving seat when it comes to managing their health, says the NHS Alliance.
Not only can they access information about their condition at the touch of a button, but they can also use their records when having consultations abroad or even at home.
For example, a patient admitted to A&E with chest pain shows a junior doctor the reports of the last chest Xrays and ECGs ordered through his general practice. He displays this on his handheld organiser. Or a patient is on holiday and has a medical emergency. Rather than try to remember and explain his whole medical history to the doctor, he can simply log on to his medical records and have everything displayed there and then.
Record sharing is a win-win situation which not only will benefit patients, but will also save the NHS money in the long run. Evidence shows that record sharing improves relationships between clinicians and patients, safety, accuracy of the record and efficiency. It also offers better care to patients with reduced use of health services.
The process is safe for both practices and patients, who should be able to access their records with account login information.
Dr Brian Fisher, NHS Alliance's patient and public involvement lead and co-director of PAERS Ltd*, says: "Patients are the real winners here and should be fully involved. Patients can use the information to prepare for consultations, for example. Also, having access to medical records also patients understand the history of a particular health problem; improves awareness of their condition; and enables them to pass on information obtained when visiting hospitals. Patients feel more in charge of their health care."
The NHS Alliance believes the best approach to record sharing would be a mix of the Spine and a distributed database approach, which is already available to 60% of practices in the UK. The company that runs the software for 60% of UK practices is called EMIS.
All EMIS practices can switch on full record access if they choose. The system works through a software provided by PAERS*. The software enables the patient's internet browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) to safely and securely access a service that shows the full medical record held in the GP practice. In addition, the patient has direct link to relevant advice and information. For example, a patient with a diagnosis of asthma would see links asthma information leaflets as well as Asthma UK.
Main benefits for patients:
- Increased trust in their clinicians
- An improved relationship with their practice
- Improved compliance in medicine-taking
- Obtaining their own health information without needing to contact the practice (allergies, immunisations)
- Empowering patients to care for themselves more effectively
- Using consultations with their clinicians more effectively
- Saving time for themselves and the practice
- Correcting errors in the record
The benefits to record access are summarised on the ICMCC website recordaccess.icmcc
Notes
1. The NHS Alliance is a collaboration of clinicians, managers and board members who put patients first. It is the independent body that represents NHS primary care. Values based, it is the only organisation that brings together PCTs with GP practices, clinicians with managers and Board members, and NHS primary care with its patients. The Alliance membership and its hard working national executive is fully multi-professional.
NHS Alliance