New research shows there may be a connection between the use of electronic file keeping methods and a reduction in the number of medical malpractice claims. According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, the results show that electronic medical records “improve the quality and safety” of the care patients receive.
The study examines 275 claims of malpractice that were filed against doctors who were surveyed from 2005 to 2007. A total of 49 claims of medical malpractice were filed before the doctors switched to electronic record keeping; however, only two incidences were claimed to have occurred after the switch was made. This means that medical mistakes were approximately 84 percent less likely to occur when electronic record keeping was being utilized.
While the researchers are the first to admit that there is no provable connection between the reduction in claims and the use of electronic records, they do say that it points out how the new method can be beneficial in preventing medical mistakes by streamlining the record keeping process. The programs also allow for problems such as allergies and conflicting prescriptions to be caught much easier and faster.
The MA Personal Injury Lawyers with Jason Stone Injury Lawyers would encourage anyone who may have been hurt because of Boston medical malpractice due to improper medical record keeping to contact an attorney to discuss the details of your case immediately.