Whether you’ve been to a doctor’s office or a hospital, you’ve likely noticed that your records are maintained electronically. However, there are still a few paper charts that are still being used. Here are a few benefits of these for medical workers and patients.
Storage
While electronic records can easily be stored in a computer system without getting damaged, there’s always the possibility that the system could crash at some point. This could result in records being lost. A benefit of paper medical charts is that they can be laminated and stored in a file cabinet or a secure box until they’re needed. The combination of paper and medical records allows for multiple ways to maintain your history for you and your doctor.
Familiarity
Most paper medical charts are self-explanatory and easy to use. All you have to do is follow the directions to complete them. Older charts can be viewed to see past health details with new information added at each appointment so that there’s a running list of conditions, symptoms, medications, and treatments. Medical workers who aren’t accustomed to electronic files might be more comfortable working with paper charts as well.
Customization
Sometimes, offices might like to customize the charts that they have. Doing this electronically often means a new template is created or a new program is being used. With paper charts, all that needs to be done are a few adjustments to the color of the ink or the overall design so that more forms can be printed for the office to use.
