It’s time for medical records to become more patient-centric. How? By following Facebook's lead.

1. If Facebook Designed
Medical Records
A Timeline Approach to Patient Care

2. The Need for Patient-Centric Records
A Facebook user’s timeline provides both a snapshot of who that user is and a
historical record of the user’s activity on Facebook. My Facebook timeline is about
me, and fittingly, I control it. It’s also one, single profile. Anyone I allow to view
my timeline views my timeline—they don’t each create their own copies of it.
Intuitive, right? So why don’t medical records work that way?
There is no unified, single patient record—every doctor I’ve ever visited has his
or her own separate copy of my records. And in an age where we can conduct
banking transactions on our smartphones, many patients still can’t access or
contribute to the medical records their doctors keep for them.
My proposal? Medical records should follow Facebook’s lead.

3. “About” for Patient Medical History
The “about” section of a Facebook profile contains basic information about a user.
In medical records, it would summarize a patient’s health and background.

4. “Privacy Settings” and “Permissions” for Sharing Records
Facebook’s privacy settings let users control who sees their information. Patients
could give “permission” for other doctors or caregivers to access their records.

5. “Status Updates” for Treatment and Plan Documentation
“Status updates” let Facebook users share what’s going on with them. Doctors
could post “status updates” to document new diagnoses or treatments.

6. “Photos” for Delivery of Imaging and Test Results
Facebook users can upload photos to their Timeline profile. Doctors could upload
scans, X-rays and other test results to a patient’s “Timeline” medical record.

7. “Tagging” for Enhanced Collaboration
Facebook lets users “tag” others to indicate their involvement with a post. Doctors
could use tagging to alert other providers of pertinent patient updates.

8. “Notifications” for Results, Alerts and Reminders
Facebook users get “notifications” when another user interacts with them. Patients
would receive “notifications” for test results or preventive care reminders.

9. “Places Check-Ins” for Office Visits
Facebook users can “check in” to locations. A patient checking in with a doctor
would note the visit on the Timeline and notify the referring doctor, if applicable.

10. “Friendships” for Provider Relationships
Facebook users can establish electronic “friendships” with other users. In medical
records, “friendships” would document relationships with medical providers.

11. “Events” for Upcoming Appointments
Facebook users can create online “events.” Medical record “events” would
correspond with upcoming appointments, scheduled tests or procedures.

12. Read Report
Read the full published article.
@SoftwareAdvice
/company/software-advice
/SoftwareAdvice
@SoftwareAdvice
Software Advice™ is a trusted resource for software buyers. The company's
website, www.softwareadvice.com, provides detailed reviews, comparisons and
research to help organizations choose the right software. Meanwhile, the company’s
team of software analysts provide free telephone consultations to help each
software buyer identify systems that best fit their needs. In the process, Software
Advice connects software buyers and sellers, generating high-quality opportunities
for software vendors.