A new year is upon us and we are still working on the full implementation of our new electronic health records.  We here at Montgomery Family Medicine have had an eventful past three months as we slowly but surely drop more and more paper from patient visits.  Our next step is the automating of the laboratory ordering and results process.  This just may have the biggest impact yet as it means results of tests drawn here are sent directly to the patient's electronic chart and (for those patients who have sign up on Patient Portal) are than available to send right on to the patient via a secure web link.  No more waiting on mail or missing calls.

 

Obviously, we want to make very certain everything is working right for this, as we have been doing, so we do not anticipate this to be completed for a few months.  Still plenty of time for all of our patients to sign up for Patient Portal.  You can sign up now at the link above.  As a reminder, no medical or demographic information ever goes out over e-mail.   The information is provided through a secure web site, much like your bank uses

 

And for those that haven't been on yet signed up, or been on Patient Portal recently, we have added the Review of Systems forms and the Surgical and Personal Histories.  The Surgical and Personal History forms are completed by all new patients (and all our patients for their first visit under the new EMR).  The Review of Systems form in the old paper world was a yellow form with lots of conditions to circle.  Most of our current patients will remember being asked to complete this form when coming in for a yearly or six-month check.  This Review of Systems provides the clinical staff information about your current health status and helps the doctor get the whole picture.  This form can now be completed online the day before your visit and the information be there waiting for you. 

 

We hope that our patients will find all these changes beneficial.  We are excited about the power of EMR and how it can make the whole process faster, safer and better.  Our huge thanks to our patients who have helped us by being patient and understanding as we adapt to a new way of doing things.

 

Thank you  

 

Jeff Senft, Administrator

January 9, 2012