In a recent article in FierceEMR, the idea of improving data quality through patient review of their own information was raised. I think this is one of the simplest and smartest ideas I have heard in a long time. I say this for two reasons.
The first reason is my observation that data which is not reviewed will have quality problems which will go undetected. Only when data is actively reviewed and validated do we find that errors or omissions are caught. Of course finding problems is only one part of a quality improvement cycle. But it is a necessary first step. Once problems are found, they need to get corrected, but that will not happen if the problems are not found.
Secondly, the patient is in a great position to review their own data. As long as the information is not clogged with arcane codes and terminology, patients inherently know what procedures and issues are theirs and which are not. No one knows my health status and history better than me. And beyond knowing what I have had in the past, I am pretty clear on what I have not had or what looks questionable.
Patients should not be the first line of defense on accurate health data. The system that results in patient data being gathered and stored needs it's own quality systems and checks and balances. But as a final check and a last line of defense, patients (or their custodians) should be exposed to their own information for quality review purposes.
When and where can I get mine?
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