Have you ever wished you could ask your doctor a non-urgent medical question without waiting for a call back or check your lab results from your smartphone? . If your physician uses an electronic health record system that includes "patient portal" capability, these scenarios could already be at your fingertips. An electronic health record or EHR is a digital version of a patient's health history. This system provides benefits for doctors and patients. It may include test results, medications, illnesses, family health history, etc. Some of these systems allow patients to access their information electronically and schedule appointments or renew medication. The number of physicians who are using this type of system is increasing rapidly. Although this is fairly new technology it is expected to become common in most doctors offices in the near future. Taking an active roll in your healthcare can be a major advantage. Studies have shown that patients with diabetes and high blood pressure are better able to manage their conditions when they use this technology.
