EMR...

I've talked about EMR's (Electronic Medical Records) before.  There are some worries these records could be hacked.  Then there is the fact, these EMR's help medical staff when dealing with patients' medical needs.

This article discusses how EMR's helped lower the case of prescription errors in hospitalized HIV patients from 16% to 1.1%.  That's over a 90% reduction.  That's huge.

The problem lies in most medical professionals unfamiliarity with HIV medications.  They aren't aware of how these regimens work & what drugs may react or interact with these HIV meds.  Anyone on a regimen knows there are things we can ingest that will alter how our meds work.  Some foods, supplements & other medications will do this.  These interactions can increase or decrease the efficacy of 1 or more of the drugs being taken in tandem.  

Unfortunately, many patients whose regimens are altered in hospital, often stick with the wrong regimen until they see their primary care provider again.  By this time, the consequences could be quite pronounced.  These interactions could lead to toxicity or even viral resistance.  

Even if you are concerned about the safety of your medical records, which is a valid point, the benefits would seem to outweigh the danger.  Hopefully, the results from this study will be repeated & the application of EMR's will increase.

Cya...