Electronic medical records, if your doctor’s offices isn’t already using them, likely they will be soon.
Doctors we spoke with said while it is not necessarily a mandate to have medical records on electronic file, they said there are financial incentives and down the road financial penalties to do so.
Mark Rowand, family physician at Dallastown Medical Associates in York County, says his practice switched to electronic medical records about two years ago.
“Basically all medical information and electronic filing of medical information lists your past medical information,” Rowand explained. “Ordering lab reports, everything is done through the computer and you can get that medical request through the computer.”
He says part of the reason medical professionals are switching is because of Medicare incentives and they started a few years back.
“The electronic incentives came before the Affordable Healthcare Act,” stated Rowand. “Medicare started making some initiatives and made a concerted effort to get everyone in communication with each other when they did it initially, there are incentives but when you don't then you get some penalties.”
It is believed that this will be helpful in case someone is out-of-town for either work or vacation as well.
Doctors we spoke with said while it is not necessarily a mandate to have medical records on electronic file, they said there are financial incentives and down the road financial penalties to do so.
Mark Rowand, family physician at Dallastown Medical Associates in York County, says his practice switched to electronic medical records about two years ago.
“Basically all medical information and electronic filing of medical information lists your past medical information,” Rowand explained. “Ordering lab reports, everything is done through the computer and you can get that medical request through the computer.”
He says part of the reason medical professionals are switching is because of Medicare incentives and they started a few years back.
“The electronic incentives came before the Affordable Healthcare Act,” stated Rowand. “Medicare started making some initiatives and made a concerted effort to get everyone in communication with each other when they did it initially, there are incentives but when you don't then you get some penalties.”
It is believed that this will be helpful in case someone is out-of-town for either work or vacation as well.