[Dataloss] Florida medical records to go online

[lyger]

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060226/NEWS01/6022604
59/1075

Medical records to go online
In Florida, inaugural steps of process begin April 1

By Michelle L. Start
mstart at news-press.com
Originally posted on February 26, 2006

Carrying a prescription that he couldn't read and trying to get it filled at
a local CVS store, Bonita Springs resident Sean Balke said he looks forward
to the day when medical records will be online.

"I don't get that many prescriptions, but this one is for back pain," said
Balke, 32. "I can't read it."

Starting on April 1, the first step toward having all medical records
accessible online will begin in Florida.

"We'll be rolling it out over the course of the year," said Rob Cronin,
spokesman for SureScripts, which is launching the software in 10 states. "By
the end of the year, we expect it to be statewide in Florida."

Already 75 percent of Fort Myers pharmacies have signed up for the software,
which has yet to go live.

Cronin said those pharmacies include stores such as Albertsons, CVS, Kash 'N
Karry, Publix, Walgreens and a number of independent pharmacies.

It's a big first step in a move to allow patients and physicians to monitor
and access medical records online. Federal officials hope to launch software
for that type of records-sharing by 2013.

In this initial step, doctors will be able to file prescriptions through the
SureScript system and pharmacists will be able to view a list of the
patients' medications, which will provide an additional safety check.

[...]