Codified Format can be used to prevent disease

Using a codified format prompts diagnosticians to be alerted to a multitude of possible illnesses and diseases after the entry of specific symptoms and triggers.  An example is when a patient arrives complaining of a persistent cough and chest pain; the doctor may be less inclined to look for diseases such as tuberculosis if the symptoms circulate around those of the common cold.  (EHR Discussions)  By using the codified format, the system can then alert the physician to check for other symptoms and possibly detect a more harmful disease than what is first suspected.

Key goals and realization of EMR implementation

The purpose behind moving to electronic medical recordkeeping is “to create an interoperable national system for the secure exchange of healthcare information”, explains Dr. Bill Crounse (Crounse).  When former President George W. Bush announced in his January 2004 State of the Union speech his goal for the United States to be utilizing electronic medical records by 2014, he stated that “by computerizing health records, we can avoid dangerous medical mistakes, reduce costs, and improve care.”