Online medical records popular

President Bush and those vying for his job pitch electronic medical records as one way to reform the nation's ailing health care system.

Some Las Vegas physicians and health insurance carriers call electronic medical records a money saver, a paperless tool to reduce patient frustration and streamline health transactions by which one physician could get a patient's health information within seconds instead of days.

Alan Sampsel, a patient and consumer, says he's just happy his medical information is now at his fingertips. From a computer inside his laundry room in Sun City Anthem, the 82-year-old diabetic has access to all prescriptions, diagnoses and lab results he's had in recent years.

Through his medical care provider, Southwest Medical Associates, Sampsel has a personal Web page through My SMA Health Online. Similar to the popular MySpace or Facebook, minus the pictures and advertisements, My SMA Health Online is part of a national trend in which medical centers, physicians and other health care providers are attempting to go paperless, said Peter Waegemann, chief executive officer of the Medical Records Institute in Boston.

The idea is to create transparency in medicine, cut down on expenses and have real-time medical information available to consumers and physicians, Waegemann said.

"Right now, there are hundreds of medical care providers that have online tools where patients can see their appointments and medical records that show what types of allergies they have, lab results and medications,'' he said.

"There are quite a few of these online systems where patients can actually add their own comments. This is just the beginning.''

Soon, Southwest Medical Associates' patients like Sampsel will be able to pay medical bills online.

Once on their personal page, SMA patients can choose from several options where they can schedule, change or cancel primary care physician and pediatric doctor appointments.

There are windows for viewing medical records, immunizations and test results.

Patients can request prescription renewals from their physicians, manage and update their personal account information and e-mail their physicians.

Patients soon will be able to use the site to schedule appointments with specialists, check whether their insurance provider has approved a referral, and receive annual exam reminders, said Michael Coleman, vice president of clinical operations and chief operating officer of Southwest Medical Associates.

"We're really on the cutting edge with this technology. We really see this as a way to cut down on patient frustrations," Coleman said. "When patients call into our call center or to make an appointment with their physician, they are put on hold or told to call back. That can be frustrating.''

Sampsel, who is insured through Senior Dimensions, said he uses his medical Web page to check his blood test results before seeing his physician so he will know what to expect during the office visit.

"It lets me feel like I'm part of the action,'' Sampsel said. "So many times, I have gone to the doctor's office with no knowledge, and all I see is a folder with my name on it. I don't know what's in there; the doctor does."

The state's largest physician group launched My SMA Health Online as a pilot in 2007. So far, roughly 11,000 patients have signed up for a Web page.

Southwest Medical Associates is a subsidiary of Sierra Health Services and has more than 250 physicians throughout Nevada.

My SMA Health Online was created by Southwest Medical Associates' IT department after physicians began noticing a large volume of calls coming into its call center and actual medical offices, Coleman said.

Some insurance providers have been providing personal health records by way of personal Web pages for several years now.

Though not as comprehensive as My SMA Health Online, those Web pages contain useful information to the insured.

For example, last year, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield launched MyHealth Record, where members can see their medical records going back two years. The medical records are comprised of claims submitted to Anthem from pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians.

Claims are compiled in a way that the patient can understand and include all medications that have been prescribed, diagnoses by physicians and any other information provided by the physician regarding patient care, said Dr. Lisa Latts, vice president of program and clinical excellence at Anthem.

"It's really to understand what physicians, pharmacists or others in medicine are telling you, especially when you've got a lot going on. To see it in black and white helps,'' said Latts, an internal medicine physician based out of Denver.

"In the past, consumers would just say, 'OK, my doctor recommends it so I am going to do it.' With this technology, consumers know their options so that they can make informed decisions about their health care.''

Latts said links to general health topics also are provided.

Cigna, which has 86,000 members in Nevada, launched its mycigna.com about seven years ago as an online tool for members to track medical and dental claims, update their personal information, check the physician directory and order identification cards.

Upgrades to the service in the last two years now allow members to have access to test results, make appointments and refill their prescriptions, said Joe Mondy, a spokesman.

Members also get real-time, plan-specific cost comparisons for generic, brand name and available therapeutic alternative medications.

"They can price medications at more than 56,000 pharmacies across the nation,'' he said.

Mondy said the health care provider is piloting several electronic medical records' programs in other states where patient records are made accessible to patients and medical care providers.

"It's part of our 10-year plan,'' Mondy said. "We think this is very important to cut down on medical errors and costs. There are a lot of pluses to electronic medical records. It's just going to take time.''

Coleman said My SMA Health Online was part of Southwest Medical Associate's e-business plan a few years ago.

The physicians' group is already paperless, meaning physicians no longer use paper prescriptions or charts.

Waegemann said it's just a matter of time before other health care providers catch on to what physician groups like Southwest Medical Associates are offering to their patients and for electronic records to become mainstream.

Politicians are calling for the nation to eliminate paper medical records altogether.

During his State of the Union address in January, Bush pushed Congress to promote health information technology. In 2004, he asked that medical records be available electronically within 10 years.

Contact reporter Annette Wells at awells @reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0283.