REVOLUTIONIZING MEDICAL RECORDS: THE JOURNEY FROM HIPPOCRATES TO MEDFOLIO™

The history of medicine is closely linked to the development of medical records. It is believed that Hippocrates, often regarded as the father of modern medicine, also maintained records. Accurate and complete information is critical for good patient care. It has been estimated that the average person has more than a dozen medical records scattered throughout various locations. If this data were easily accessible, it could prevent duplicate procedures, enhance the quality of care, and even save lives.

Let’s dive into Electronic Health Records (EHR). Originally designed decades ago to streamline and organize health care, the reality is that they often miss the mark. Many patients believe that EHRs ensure all doctors are automatically on the same page, but that’s not the case. In fact, these systems can sometimes add more confusion than clarity. Not all health systems use the same EHRs, and often, there’s no communication between them. For example, you might see a specialist in downtown Chicago, while your surgeon in the suburbs has no access to those records or even knows you saw that specialist.

Patients appreciate accessing their records through patient portals, but this can lead to more misunderstandings. One of our clients with complex medical needs took a look at her patient portal and found a staggering 63 different doctors listed as being involved in her care. The problem? The list was outdated, included some non-physicians, and didn’t even match her actual care team. Another discovered that two doctors in the same week had totally different medication lists because one hadn’t been updated.

What’s even more concerning is that hospitals and medical systems rely heavily on EHRs. We’ve all seen the headlines about what happens when these systems crash due to technical issues or cyberattacks. The truth is, no information—regardless of how it is stored— is immune to security risks. When health care providers and patients put all their faith in EHRs, it can lead to suboptimal care during an outage. Plus, when patients depend on EHRs to keep track of their medical history and medication lists, they can easily lose sight of the conditions they are actually managing. For instance, when a patient says, “I don’t know what medications I’m taking; they’re all in the computer,” they are making assumptions that can undermine their empowerment and ultimately lead to compromised care.

Effective, reliable, and accurate medical records help to facilitate optimal communication. This makes all the difference when it comes to your experience with health care. In today’s complex medical landscape, we believe in going back to basics. That is why we created the MedFolio™—a straightforward, accessible and regularly updated compilation of your medical history and records. When we customize your MedFolio™, we handle the heavy lifting by gathering, organizing, and streamlining all of your information so everything is in one easy-to-find place. With our expertise as physicians, we know what details are important, what is redundant, and what is outdated. So, we keep it all relevant.

The MedFolio™ is laid out just like a physician would expect to see a patient’s history. Whether you’re seeing a new doctor or sticking with the one you love, they can quickly access all the information they need. Plus, in emergencies, first responders can easily locate your Red Sheet™, which has all the critical information at a glance to make quick medical decisions. The MedFolio™ is available in physical, digital, and travel formats making it user-friendly for everyone.

We advocate for a collaborative care model that organizes medical records for easy navigation by health care professionals and presents them clearly for patients and their families. We believe everyone needs a MedFolio™—and we are ready to get started on yours.

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