EHRs Shine for Dr. Oz

Electronic health records took a starring role in a recent show taped in Philadelphia by television’s Dr. Oz.

The segment depicted 75 laptop-equipped medical students, who scanned clinical information for about 1,000 patients into electronic health records and identified individuals at risk of heart disease or diabetes.

The whole process took 15 minutes, according to a report last week on Forbes.com. At the end of that time, clinicians gave the participants summaries of their medical reports. Two patients were admitted to Temple University Health System, Forbes reported.

The demonstration was meant to show the consequences of urban health issues and how data analysis by EHRs can have an impact on public health, Forbes noted.

“The electronic medical record saves time when done right, so doctors can spend more time with their patients,” Forbes quoted Oz as saying.

The EHR was provided by Practice Fusion. The medical tests were performed at the Temple University School of Medicine.