How your doctor can now respond immediately

(NC) Whenever any of us have a medical concern — whether it’s a muscle injury or the flu — our first step is usually to hit the web for a diagnosis and guidance. We know it’s a dangerous black hole, where information is not always accurate. Fortunately, new digital healthcare advances mean we can now consider turning to our doctor first.

Currently, 73 per cent of Canadian primary care doctors have replaced paper charts with electronic medical records, and many doctors can easily access their patients’ medical history from a secure mobile app to provide better, more precise care. Mobile medicine gives doctors access to their patients’ medical records in seconds. With everything stored electronically, there’s no chance of information getting lost in a pile of papers. Now, a complete overview of your medical history is available anywhere, anytime.

This is especially great news for parents of young children, who can get sick more often and are less able to describe their symptoms. And pediatricians are hopping on board to help answer worried parents’ concerns quickly.

“Now I can deal with any problem from anywhere on the planet, as long as I’m connected,” says pediatrician Dr. Mark Kovacs who uses a mobile medicine app connected to his office’s Telus Health electronic medical records system. “When doctors can access a child’s information instantly, they can order tests, diagnose symptoms, and treat the problem much faster.”

Doctors can communicate electronically with specialists and hospitals outside of their own clinics and practices, even after hours. It also ensures a patient’s broader healthcare team has a full view of their entire medical history whenever they need it.

Digital technology is also helping connect younger patients with their healthcare. Doctors are using technology and apps to teach children with chronic conditions at an appropriate age how to help themselves. By doing this, kids can feel confident that they can control their health when they’re older or move away from home.

Find more information online at telushealth.com.