Electronic Medical Records

Abstract
When going to the doctor’s office, there was a time when patients had to check out their medical records before seeing their doctor or dentist. They would also have to return the medical records before leaving the clinics or hospital. Now patients are able to skip those steps because of electronic medical records. But what exactly are manual medical records and electronic records?
According to Merriam-Webster, medical records are a record of a patient 's medical information (as medical history, care or treatments received, test results, diagnoses, and medications taken). Electronic medical records are digital medical records that either originates from an electronic format or is converted from paper or hard copy to an online version.
These files and documents include, but are not limited to vitals, medication history, prior injuries, treatments, and appointments. The medical records come in two forms: electronic and paper (manual). Both are essential to keeping track of patients’ medical history. This is important for doctors to be able to continue appropriate treatment, and especially necessary for patients that have a team of physicians and therapists. Without medical records it would nearly impossible to give the proper care to a patient because there would be a lack of knowledge of past medical care and treatment.
The question that usually arises about medical records is “which are better, electronic or manual records?” This is a very good question, but both methods are very beneficial. There are pros and cons to both of the methods. When comparing the two I like to evaluate them based on storage, legibility, access, and security. These four points can help you determine which method is more reliable or
For paper records to reach other interested parties, they must either be mailed or converted to electronic format, such as via scanning and emailing, before they can be accessed. Both paper and electronic record storage systems have some security vulnerabilities. Electronic records are susceptible to hackers and other unauthorized individuals who can gain access by breaking down the electronic defenses of a storage system. Electronic records can also be rendered inaccessible due to system crashes or other electronic malfunctions. Paper records are generally safe unless someone physically breaks into a storage unit. Both types of records can be susceptible to natural disasters such as fires and floods; however, a facility will typically have only one copy of a paper record, versus at least one backup copy of an electronic