Overview : Health Informatics

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In the early twentieth century there was talk about using computers in medicine as technology advanced, however paper records were the methods used to record information about a patient back then: it was not until 1950s that informatics really took off in the United States. Robert Ledley, who invented the first full body CT scanner, is often credited as one of the founding fathers of

U.S.

informatics. Paper records were not much appreciated as there were many problems with paper medical record.

In the 1960s, I spent more than 40 months in 9 different hospitals.The process of transfer from one hospital to another was difficult and painful.Discharge planning and follow-up treatment were notably absent from most of my hospitalization experiences in the 1960s. The treatment I received was for the wrong diagnosis, and consisted mainly of powerful doses of a single antipsychotic drug. The treatment included, overcrowded conditions, forced work, and a lineup for ECT (Electroconvulsive therapy).I experienced the absence of what is now commonplace—active treatment, discharge planning, and connections to community-based treatment.Today the opportunities for recovery are much better.Now I have better information about my illness.I spend less time in the hospital and more time in the community.I spend less time dealing with my illness and more time working on the rest of my life.

This is a case study of a patient in New England in the 1960. who spent 40 months in 9 different hospitals. She faced difficulties in transferring herself from one hospital to the other. She did not receive any discharge planning and follow-up treatment planning. This was due to the improper storage of medical records, if her medical records of discharge and following treatment plannings were properly stored, she would have been told beforehand which would have had helped her to manage the situation better and with much ease. To make things worse, she actually received diagnosis for the wrong treatment. This might have been also avoided if medical records were done in a more systemic method and easily retrievable like nowadays using electronics like computer.

Today the same patient has better information about her illness and how is able to cope with it better. All this has actually changed her to be more active in her recovery. This resulted in her spending lesser time in hospital and working normally with her daily life. In addition with much more improvisation today I believe that she would not be given powerful doses in a single drug instead she will be given less toxic medications.

Now this case study has shown us that there was definetly a requirement to change in the way medical records were gained asses to.

Earlier times when information was stored in written format, there is a higher possibility that it can go missing or get mixed up with other patient’s records. Not only will the patient have to wait longer for his medical records, he might be wrongly diagnosed due to the mixed up of papers as well! Adding on, the illegible handwriting might make life difficult for the doctor in return life is made difficult for the patient.