According to American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women, second only to lung cancer.
In a survey conducted in 2013, the American Cancer Society found out that little over 232,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be detected and over 39,000 women will die from this disease that year.
The alarming number of deaths caused by breast cancer calls for early detection, diagnosis and treatment of the patients.
Health IT follows the mantra of "prevention is better than cure" that helps to improve quality of healthcare.
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) can play a significant role in providing timely care to breast cancer patients and reducing its death toll.
Breast Cancer Awareness and EMR October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Physicians, hospitals and other healthcare professionals should take advantage of this opportunity and use EMRs to identify patients vulnerable to breast cancer and encourage them for screening for early detection and treatment.
Patients' history - medical, family, social - recorded in the EMR is the window into their lives, which will help physicians to identify at-risk patients and encourage them to take a screening test on time.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed that women, whose physicians have implemented Electronic Medical Records (EMR) at their practice, are more likely to be screened and get mammogram done on time.
This is part of the preventive care, which is the underlying purpose of health IT.
The result of the survey showed that breast examination rate among female patients increased with use of EMR systems by their providers from none to maximum.
Breast examination rate among patients whose providers did not use EMRs was 20.
27 percent, while 34.
7 percent and 37.
21 percent was recorded for providers with minimal and basic use of the electronic system, respectively.
The highest, 44.
98 percent breast examination rate was recorded for providers that fully utilized their EMR systems.
The conclusion of the study highlights the difference EMRs have made in healthcare.
It said, "The presence of an EMR system has a positive impact on preventive women's healthcare; the more functions that the system has, the greater the number of examinations and tests given or prescribed.
" Patient engagement and education through Patient Portals is another way through which providers can help patients by creating awareness about this deadly disease, particularly those at-risk of breast cancer.
This facilitates providers in keeping track of their patients' screening tests and mammograms.
After all, patients do not always comply with their providers' advice, recommendations and treatments.
Therefore, it's vital for physicians to keep track of their progress through EMR to inform and advise patients about their condition.
In a survey conducted in 2013, the American Cancer Society found out that little over 232,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be detected and over 39,000 women will die from this disease that year.
The alarming number of deaths caused by breast cancer calls for early detection, diagnosis and treatment of the patients.
Health IT follows the mantra of "prevention is better than cure" that helps to improve quality of healthcare.
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) can play a significant role in providing timely care to breast cancer patients and reducing its death toll.
Breast Cancer Awareness and EMR October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Physicians, hospitals and other healthcare professionals should take advantage of this opportunity and use EMRs to identify patients vulnerable to breast cancer and encourage them for screening for early detection and treatment.
Patients' history - medical, family, social - recorded in the EMR is the window into their lives, which will help physicians to identify at-risk patients and encourage them to take a screening test on time.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) revealed that women, whose physicians have implemented Electronic Medical Records (EMR) at their practice, are more likely to be screened and get mammogram done on time.
This is part of the preventive care, which is the underlying purpose of health IT.
The result of the survey showed that breast examination rate among female patients increased with use of EMR systems by their providers from none to maximum.
Breast examination rate among patients whose providers did not use EMRs was 20.
27 percent, while 34.
7 percent and 37.
21 percent was recorded for providers with minimal and basic use of the electronic system, respectively.
The highest, 44.
98 percent breast examination rate was recorded for providers that fully utilized their EMR systems.
The conclusion of the study highlights the difference EMRs have made in healthcare.
It said, "The presence of an EMR system has a positive impact on preventive women's healthcare; the more functions that the system has, the greater the number of examinations and tests given or prescribed.
" Patient engagement and education through Patient Portals is another way through which providers can help patients by creating awareness about this deadly disease, particularly those at-risk of breast cancer.
This facilitates providers in keeping track of their patients' screening tests and mammograms.
After all, patients do not always comply with their providers' advice, recommendations and treatments.
Therefore, it's vital for physicians to keep track of their progress through EMR to inform and advise patients about their condition.