Question of the Week: Can Electronic Medical Records Simplify Your Life?

Have any of you thought about getting all your medical records in order to use if you have an emergency, or you just need to talk to your doctor about your latest test?  There are various ways to do this, but let's look at electronic medical tracking programs.

Electronic medical tracking programs can turn patients' records into portable information that's accessible from personal computers and other hand-held devices.  Imagine being able to look up important medical information from a year ago, or having the ability to constantly update your current medication and dosing list.  Another capability could be tracking important lab test results to spot a trend in blood sugar, cholesterol, or calcium and vitamin D levels over time.

How many times were you unable to recall the necessary medical information needed at a doctors office or hospital? In times of stress, our brains don't work as they should, and these programs could be life-saving and invaluable!

I'm not that organized, and I can see where this type of organization and tracking would make an enormous difference in the type of medical care that I receive.

I would like to talk to those who've used electronic medical storage and tracking programs that you can access with your computer or mobile device. I desperately need your help with this since I don't know where to start.

Let us know if you've used a medical storage device to track your important health information, and if it helped you personally.

Questions:

• Which storage or tracking programs have you used?

• What features do you look for in electronic storage and tracking devices?

• Does the program you use guarantee privacy?

Health Central has a program called "Health Tracker" and there are many others to input all your vital information. These programs let you download to a mobile device or flash drive that you carry at all times, so you're always prepared.  If you aren't currently using one of these programs, look into several of them to see if they can simplify and improve your life through enhanced health care.  Good Luck, and please share your advice with our community.