Guest posting by Sonali Mahendran
I came across a few articles emphasizing the significance of sharing medical records with patients and other providers. One story that particularly captured my interest was that of Mr. Steven Keating, a doctoral student at M.I.T.’s Media Lab, who collected and researched his own patient data, which led to the discovery of a brain tumor. This signified the fact that there are no real bounds of what medical information sharing can do in terms of empowering patients, and, as a result, healthcare providers. Although, this may seem optimal, there are several obstacles that health care providers face when implementing this solution, such as finance, tradition, and federal policies. However, I believe that the rewards outweigh the risks involved in sharing health information; healthcare providers are able to work more efficiently, and patients are encouraged to become more involved in their own care.
I decided to highlight the problems faced by providers in this first infographic.
In this second infographic, I emphasize the benefits of sharing medical records and a current approach that encourages providers to share health information.
Sources:
http://e-patients.net/archives/2015/04/spm-survey-in-times-square-americans-believe-their-medical-data-should-be-shared-with-their-providers.html
Inspiration:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/technology/the-healing-power-of-your-own-medical-data.html?_r=0