Patients given greater say in own health
Patients’ ability to access and add to their medical records in the same way health professionals can is giving them a greater say in their care
Fran Husson is one of more than 400,000 people across north-west London empowered by the Care Information Exchange (CIE) which provides secure online access via a mobile phone, tablet or computer.
The 79-year-old, who is registered disabled and lives with several conditions including severe arthritis and hearing loss, welcomes CIEs ability to place every piece of information relating to her health at her fingertips.
Fran said: “If you rewind several years health and social care records weren’t joined up and that was incredibly frustrating for patients like me who have a lot of interaction with the NHS.
“It was chaotic and messy trying to keep track of everything and that was reflected in how much time was wasted repeating the same information over and over to different health professionals.
“The turning point was when I was given a Personal Health Record (PHR) where I could log on and access a wealth of information from clinic appointments and results to blood test result. radiology reports and care plans.”
In return, Fran was able to record her symptoms and add relevant information outside the parameters of CIE such as an optometrist and dentist. It also allows her to keep track of all her medicines.
Fran added: “The ability to interact and exchange information with medical staff has made a huge difference to the care I receive. They just click on the CIE button in their electronic health records and they have an up-to-date record of me.
“I would find it impossible to self-manage my various morbidities without such a tool and my care givers would also spend more time treating me if they didn’t have easy access to up-to-date information.”
CIE is powered by Patients Know Best, a social enterprise company. Imperial Health Charity has provided funding for the Care Information Exchange.