I am a big advocate for going electronic when it comes to healthcare. Since qualifying as a physio, I’ve worked in various roles, with the majority of these roles including electronic notes. Having access to scans, blood tests and previous consultants can be really useful from both an assessment and treatment perspective. I’ve always liked the digital notes but healthcare seems to be somewhat behind the times when it comes to technology. In a world where I can pay for my coffee with my watch and shout at the speaker in the corner to tell me a joke, it’s surprising that healthcare hasn’t progressed quicker. Likewise, we go through our degrees, completing exams and coursework electronically then all of a sudden we are back to paper.
The pros of digital healthcare and NABIDH:
1. Privacy and confidentiality – first and foremost, the most important one. No paper notes to get lost. No paper notes are visible to other patients. Password protected sensitivity information.
2. Optimized patient care – shared access to information allows us to treat our patients in the best and most efficient way.
3. Money saved - by reducing repeat imaging and testing.
4. Less store space for notes.
5. More environmentally friendly – less paper.
6. Saves time chasing consultant notes and radiology reports.
7. More efficient documentation – typing and dictating notes can be quicker than writing.
8. And dare I say it, legible notes too (including my own handwriting).
So as we shift over to electronic notes, please bear with us during any technical hiccups and teething problems!
