This article was originally published in Nashville Medical News.
It’s the 21st century, and 78% of hospitals still “often or sometimes” receive their medical records via mail or fax, according to a 2021 report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
This isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a massive expense and time commitment for providers. It’s also dangerous for patients; when a provider doesn’t have an up-to-date, readable medical history, it can delay vital diagnoses and prevent patients from receiving timely, potentially life-saving care.
If there is one problem we can solve in healthcare that will positively impact patients, providers and payers alike, this is it. And thanks to some important regulatory and technological advances — including artificial intelligence — we’re starting to see a large group of leaders and innovators come together to tackle this challenge head on.