My patients can contact me by e-mail so they don't have to play phone tag. They can schedule appointments, ask questions, get prescription refills - and not have to worry about waiting for us to call them back. If the growing numbers of software programs and online resources are any indication, more medical professionals appear to be turning to electronic options in their offices. Yates is among those who believes automated medical records systems cut down on paperwork and allow for greater communication between doctor and patient, as well as doctor and staff. That's the big thing - there's less interruption.
Patients have the time to discuss their problems without losing their train of thought.
The electronic path ultimately leads to placing patient medical records online, something being tried in many hospitals and offices. Online medical records give doctors immediate access to the medical history of new patients, as well as provide physicians with longtime patients' charts with a few keystrokes. While most agree that putting medical records online is inevitable, many are uncomfortable with the notion. At this point, I don't feel comfortable with it and wouldn't consider it. She points to certain private data, such as infertility issues and screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, as information that patients wouldn't want to risk sharing with strangers.