What Is Medical Records Management?

Medical records are incredibly sensitive. Full of information that’s personal and confidential, they’re meant to be seen and used by medical professionals and no one else. In order to guard patient privacy and ensure all files are up to date and comply with data protection regulations, medical records management needs to be done to the highest possible standard.

In this article, we take a closer look at medical records management and how to get the process just right.

What Is Medical Records Management?

Medical records management is the systematic process of creating, storing, retrieving and destroying patient health information. There are a number of rules and regulations governing the management of medical records. These are in place to ensure that sensitive data is handled securely and accurately and that all information is stored in compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Accessible Paper File Management System

Medical records can come in a range of different formats, from handwritten notes to electronic files and visual and audio recordings to lab reports. All of this data needs to be stored so that it’s accessible to medical professionals but safe from data hacks and prying eyes.

Investing in an accessible paper file management system will help to ensure that medical records in your hospital or clinic are systematically stored and organised as well as being easily accessible. This will help to improve efficiency in your organisation while reducing errors.

Regulatory Compliance

Any organisation that collects, stores and manages private information is now subject to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. These rules state that data must be held securely, must be easy to find and delete when required and must be accurate. The GDPR also states that files should be kept for no longer than is necessary and only used in a relevant, limited way.

Installing a robust paper file management system will help to ensure your organisation is compliant with GDPR rules as well as other relevant regulations. Electronic medical records management software, like FileTrack, can be configured to meet all main regulatory challenges, allowing your team to manage records with confidence.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Not only is good medical records management important for privacy and compliance, it’s also essential for patient care. Having access to files that are complete and up to date allows medical professionals to make informed decisions on treatment plans, potentially improving outcomes.

The data that’s collected through a management system can also enable hospitals to make data-driven decisions when it comes to resource allocation, strategic planning and quality improvement initiatives. This can go a long way to improving the quality of patient care and hospital management, both now and in the future.

Challenges Facing Medical Records Management

Medical records management can be challenging. Some of the main issues healthcare organisations need to tackle are:

• Security
• Privacy
• Storage
• Retrieval of medical records

Failure in any one of these areas can lead to data breaches, non-compliance and, most importantly, problems with patient care.

The best way to overcome these challenges is to invest in a well-integrated system like FileTrack. The software can address all of these issues while improving efficiency, flexibility and patient care within the organisation.

High quality medical records management software can make life easier for health workers, improve patient outcomes and help healthcare organisations meet the high privacy standards set by government regulation.

To find out more, and learn how FileTrack could help your hospital or clinic, contact us today.

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