Comprehensive health records may be taking over electronic health records.
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There is a call to include more in the patients’ medical records, including social determinants and outside factors that go beyond those typically included in their medical records.
Healthcare is no longer only about curing the sick, it is also focused on keeping patients well and healthy. Some argue that this requires adding lifestyle data to the patient record.
This shift in thinking may require a shift in the way electronic medical records (“EHRs”) are viewed and vary what is contained in the record.
Comprehensive health records, or CHRs, would include more information than EHRs.
CHRs could include data about what people eat, their sleeping patterns, whether they are obese, and even whether they are lonely. All of these factors impact health, and should, arguably, impact patient care.
Epic Systems CEO Judy Faulkner is a major proponent of moving from EHRs to CHRs. She stated that everything is electronic, so the ‘E’ is redundant. The focus of healthcare should switch to focusing on individuals as a whole and go beyond the hospital walls.
She stated that it is essential to go beyond clinic and hospital walls to help keep patients healthy, as opposed to only treating patients when they are sick.
What do you think? Would you like to see outside factors included in patient records? Comment below!
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