Ghosts of Medical Records Past

Medical records were paper. During the 70’s and 80’s, physician’s records were often on cards, rather than in folders. Medical records were largely private between patients and their physicians.

Patients weren’t too concerned about medical records. Quality of care was primarily based on the quality of the relationship with their physicians.

Physicians viewed medical records more as convenient notes to self. Few, beside the physician, had interest or need for the information. The records were little more than narratives placed on paper. Healthcare services were more episode-based and problem-focused. The doctor could focus on the patient and not on medical records.

System medical record demands for sharing and interoperability were low. Snail-mail of paper copies was the primary interoperability method.

The health information world was much simpler and the key focus was on the doctor-patient relationship. There was little to no real data to measure quality or performance across the population. There were few interferences. Most were happy, but there was growing need to increase documentation as various leeches began to crawl out of the drains.

Almost all turned a cold shoulder toward embracing the potential value within the record itself. It was just too inconvenient, even when possible. Besides, the real gold was still primarily in the relationship between patients and their care-givers. Patients usually financially rewarded, directly, their care-givers as a result.

This is a world that is blowing away in the wind. Yet, dreams of what was, but can never be again, still haunts and provides many “Bah, Humbugs” opportunities across the land.


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