Benefits of Personal Health Records - Health

Gone are the days when people used to carry their health records in unwieldy files when visiting a doctor. The advances in technology made it is possible to carry the entire documents in pocket-sized devices like CD-ROMs, pen drives and now on dedicated websites who take the responsibility of saving and updating medical data. To keep a track of our medical history and share and use it when necessary, we need to create a personal health record. Let us try to understand what personal health records can do for us and how can they make our life easy.

A personal health record is the consolidated information related to health; stored and managed by an individual. Today, personal health records are also popularly known as, personal health diary, patient health record, or personal medical records. While the concept of personal health records is not new, it has evolved from a stage when these records were stored by the medical professionals and health care providers; to a stage where each person today is keeping their health records by using various technologies such as websites, personal health software and so on. The primary purpose of personal health records is:

* To keep a track on personal health and

* To help the doctors for providing better care through the valuable health information.

Ideally, a personal health record should contain every single bit of information related to your health. The information stored in your personal health record may differ according to the software or service providers, but any personal health records will contain the crucial health information. Some of the most common parameters that a personal health record contains are as follows:

* Name of the patient, birth date, blood type

* Date of last physical tests or screenings

* Major illnesses or diseases occurred in past with dates

* List of medicines and dosages taken by you

* Allergies and chronic diseases

* History of illnesses in your family

This piece of information can be very important in case of emergencies and can save your life.

Personal health records have numerous benefits not only to the users but also to the health care systems and physicians. A detailed health record can be used by physicians to take important decisions in time of emergencies. Some of the significant benefits of personal health records are as follows:

* Empowering patients: personal health record allows the patients to access, update and verify their own medical records. With the use of personal health records, one can also set reminders for health maintenance services.

* Improves patient-doctors relationship: this is especially true when you have a family doctor or a physician to whom you frequently visits. Doctors find it easy to communicate with patients who own personal health records.

* Improves patient's safety: As the patient keeps updating their health records, it helps them to identify missed procedures and services, drug alerts, and important test results.

* Delivers efficient care: personal health records also avoid duplicative testing and unwanted or unnecessary services.

* Cost-effective tool: patients can save huge amounts which are otherwise spent unnecessary on malpractice costs.

* Privacy: personal health records can be kept confidential by using passwords. Today, most of us want our health records to be safe and secure in our hands so that no one misuses it. Personal health records allow patients to keep their health documents safe and secured.

The list of benefits of maintaining personal health records is never-ending and personal health records are slowly and steadily becoming a basic necessity to keep ourselves and our beloved ones healthy. After all, a small initiative towards health can reap great rewards. So, step ahead and create your Personal Health Record!!!!

iAutoblog the premier autoblogger software

Ten things you should know about Health care Proxies and Living Wills in Massachusetts - Law

It is unfortunately true that we often get what we pay for. If you download your Health Care Proxy from the Internet, get it from a book, or from an attorney who does not adequately explain what you need to know about advance directives, you may end up with an ineffective or unenforceable Proxy. The following is our list of the ten things you must remember to make your advance directives as effective as possible:

1. Executing a Living Will is not enough. Although Living Wills are useful documents, they are not statutorily recognized in Massachusetts, and doctors and hospitals are not required to adhere to the wishes expressed in your Living Will. You need to execute a Health Care Proxy that names an Agent who will enforce your wishes.

2. In addition to identifying the Principal (you) and your Agent, your Proxy must state that you intend to grant to your Agent the authority to make health care decisions on your behalf; describe any limitations you wish to place on your Agent; and indicate that your Agent's authority becomes effective only if you subsequently lose capacity to make medical decisions. (Also, it is wise to include the addresses and telephone numbers of your Agent and Alternate, so they can be located quickly).

3. Your Proxy must be signed by you or at your direction in the presence of two adult witnesses. The witnesses must then sign and affirm that you appear to be at least eighteen, of sound mind, and under no constraint or undue influence. (It's a good idea to follow these rules if you execute a separate Living Will.)

4. The witnesses cannot be named as an Agent or Alternate Agent. And an operator, administrator, or employee of a medical facility where you are, or may be, a resident or patient cannot be your Agent, unless she is also related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption.

5. Do not hide your Proxy and Living Will in a safe. Execute five or six originals, one for your primary care physician (with oral and written instructions to place the documents in your medical records), one for your medical records at the hospital you are likely to end up at in an emergency, one for your Agent and one for your Alternate, one for your own records, and a copy for your lawyer's safe.

6. If you spend a lot of time in another state (winters in Florida, for example) you should consult an attorney in the second state to ensure that your Proxy will also be recognized there.

7. If your Agent is your spouse, and you divorce or are legally separated, your entire Health Care Proxy is revoked. In other words, your Alternate Agent cannot step in and take the place of your spouse. In this caseor if you revoke your Proxy orally or by drafting a substituteyou should collect your old documents, destroy them, and distribute your new Proxy.

8. Select your Agent and Alternate carefully. Make sure they understand your wishes and are willing to do all they can to ensure they are honored. Communication is vital.

9. Express your wishes as clearly as possible in your Proxy and Living Will. Clarity and brevity will help your Agent, family, and doctor understand your wishes.

10. Communicate, communicate, and communicate.

a. Talk to your family about the wishes you have expressed in your Proxy and Living Will and tell them who you have selected as your Agent and Alternate. Surprise, hard feelings, or controversy around your hospital bed may create an unpleasant situation and could result in your wishes not being honored.

b. Talk to your doctor about your Proxy and Living Will. Make sure she, and the facility at which she enjoys staff privileges, are willing to honor your wishes.

iAutoblog the premier autoblogger software