ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN INDIA

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a technique used in noting the observations, diagnosis, treatment & any other medical parameter, electronically using the latest technology.

It can be described as a Summary of Any Observation or a Record, that is produced during any Clinical Observation or/and Practise.

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is basically any technique used in noting the observations, diagnosis, treatment, and any other medical parameter, electronically!

We always make sure what we do, during any hour of the day, is arranged and well managed, so as to avoid any conflict.

Similarly, Any EMR/EHR has to be well managed and well arranged. The information uploaded in it should be arranged, as there is no problem in finding it when is needed the most, and using it to its full potential.

Electronic records are highly useful in many ways such as:-

• Medical history goes paperless now
• Healthcare costs are highly reduced 
• Empowering the doctors to be able to deliver right treatment at the right time 
• Practice of evidence-based medicine is being promoted
• Lifespan of the health records have now increased. Concept of forever implies over here.
• safety with access, audit and authorization can now be done easily

By - Trishala

For More Visit : Electronic Health Records India

ARE YOU HEALTHY ENOUGH?

If you have long work hours, loads of household chores, are socially very active and glued to your electronic gadgets, I'm assuming that you're compromising on your health while keeping up with the rapid pace of the expanding world. While it's important to earn your bread and butter, be updated about the rest of the world, stay in touch with your friends and relatives, it's equally important to live a healthy life. 

We all perceive the term 'healthy' in different ways and the most acceptable definition of healthy would be a state of condition in which you're physically, mentally and emotionally stable. You're free of diseases, are fit and lead a safe and jolly life. This may sounds notional to some but living a healthy life is very much possible.

We must exercise or do some physical activity daily, follow a healthy diet, drink fluids and sleep well. We must also consult a doctor periodical and get regular health check-ups done. This ensures that we're completely free of all diseases. A doctor should also be consulted in case of any health related ambiguity. 

Nowadays, thanks to the Internet, book online appointment with doctors has become damn easy. No emails, text messages or phone calls are required, just a single mouse click. Also, sites like MedicoSA which provide this option also enable the patient to view the doctor's profile, testimonies and reviews by other patients.

While technology keeps us on the go, it also ensures that our health is never compromised! By - Jessica

TELEMEDICINE, ITS BENEFITS AND USES

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunications to improve the health status of patients by exchanging medical information using latest technology. It helps eliminate the distance barriers and can improve access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in distant rural communities. It is very beneficial to the rural poor, who can not afford quality medication or don't have an efficient healthcare system in their vicinity.

Large hospital have e-medicine provision as a part of their CSR initiatives. Many doctors are also in support of it since 70 percent of India’s population lives in rural areas and even in cities, health workers have a hectic lifestyle and long commutes which makes it tough to visit the doctor, but there are nearly 900 million mobile phone connections and over 200 million internet users, hence the wireless technology can be harnessed to decentralise India’s healthcare industry.

Some of the lesser known benefits and uses of the telemedicine industry are:

1. Telemedicine has been shown to reduce the cost of healthcare and increase efficiency through better management of chronic diseases,shared health professional staffing, reduced travel times, and fewer or shorter hospital stays.
2. Telemedicine can be used as a teaching tool, by which experienced medical staff can observe, show, and instruct the medical staff located somewhere else.
3. It also keeps a track of blood pressure, heart rate, weight, blood glucose, and hemoglobin. Depending on the severity of the patient's condition, the provider may check these statistics on a daily or weekly basis to determine the best course of treatment. 

          For more info visit : Telemedicine in India

BLOOD DONORS: ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

We all know that blood is required for transfusions and after accidents and surgeries and there is a major shoratge of blood in our country. There has been great emphasis on why blood donation is the need of the hour, but are we really working towards our goal? Most of us agree that blood donation is indeed a very noble, altruistic act and can save lives but when its our chance, do we really change our habits and contribute to it positively? Its time for us to roll up our sleeves (literally) and get that one unit of blood drawn.

A few years back, while organizing a blood donation camp, I came across a very shocking and disgraceful incident. The camp was a success but almost towards the end, an old lady rushed to us and begged for HH blood group (commonly known as Bombay blood group) for her son. It is one of the rarest blood groups in India and wasn't available in any of the nearby blood banks at that moment. She used all her contacts but all her efforts went futile and she was left with no other option other than reaching out to a blood donation camp. While we searched for a blood donor on the internet, the incident threw light on the importance of a platform which connects the needy directly to the donors.

Many healthcare servers have come up which provide the required platform for an effective blood donor search. MEDICOSA, an online networked healthcare system displays a list of all the blood donors arranged according to their blood groups. It also provides the much needed interface for the patients to connect and contact the donors directly.  By - Jessica

MEDICAL PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The medical practice management system/software,also known as PMS , is the new advent in technology that strives to make health care efficient and minimum-time consuming. The PMS mainly pertains to the business and management side of health care,that is,to say that PMS is not exactly the domain of a doctor or physician as it does not require any proficiency in the medical area. What PMS actually is,is an assistant to the doctor’s assistant. It helps schedule appointments,track patient progress,estimate bills and most importantly keep a permanent record of the patient’s vital demographics like place of living,emergency contacts etc. The PMS also facilitates the tracking of one of the most important parts of health care – insurance,and coordinates the patients’ eligibility to seek a certain kind of treatment.

Even though the medical practice management system does not require a physician’s active involvement,doctors do need to take a conscious role in selecting the type of software that is going to be used in their clinic or hospital,so that problems of coordination do not arise further along the road. Since the PMS also doubles up as an accounting system,keeping track of the receipt of fees and corresponding office expenditures, the renumeration of doctors also depends on a sound medical practice management software with minimum glitches. With everything slowly being modified to find incorporation in the digitized world,it is only natural that something as basic yet crucial as maintenance of proper records is carried out efficiently,because one loose link could break the entire chain.   

By- Sukanya