The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) welcomes the Secretary of State’s announcement today for investment to help hospitals implement electronic health records. Professor John Williams, Director of the RCP’s Health Informatics Unit (HIU) said:
We fully support Jeremy Hunt’s national investment to increase technology to reduce errors and duplication of prescriptions.
Greater use of technology comes with a need for standards. The use of record standards for the structure and content of electronic health records is vital to delivering better patient care in the future. Standards will facilitate continuity of care along the patient pathway through the sharing and re-use of information as patients move between healthcare settings.
The RCP has led the development of standards for the structure and content of health records, as recommended in the Department of Health’s Information Strategy Impact Assessment.
Access the RCP Health Informatics Unit healthcare records standards
For further information, please contact Andrew McCracken, RCP Communications and New Media Adviser, on +44 (0)203 075 1354 / 07990 745 608, or email andrew.mccracken@rcplondon.ac.uk