Medical Recordkeeping Is Now Mostly Digital

by Bernadette Cognac

Physicians have shifted from print to digital tools for accessing and maintaining medical records, according to Kantar Media’s March 2012 Sources & Interactions Study.

Nearly 400,000 physicians among 21 office and hospital-based specialties now use one or more digital devices (computer/smartphone/tablet) to access/maintain medical records.

• Between 2010 and early 2012, there was a 37% decrease in respondents who reported accessing and maintaining patient medical records in traditional print format.
• Nearly 3 out of 4 physicians access/maintain patient records using their computer.
• Tablets are the preferred mobile device for Electronic Medical Record apps. Among tablet users, 1 in 2 are using them for an app that accesses/maintains medical records.
• Interestingly, tablets are used at a higher rate for patient recordkeeping (50%) than for patient education (41%).