MyHealthArchive Reduces Risk of Medication Errors:

Medication errors may cause prolonged hospitalization due to permanent injury and even death. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices recommends that patients bring a list of their medications, dose, and frequency of administration so that doctors will know what you are taking.

Additionally, bringing a list of medications allergies can help prevent a serious complication from occurring. ¹

Patients can avoid having to remember to carry lists of paper because MyHealthArchive, can be accessed anywhere, anytime, utilizing HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)  compliant web-based technology which protects the privacy and security of personal health information.  

Patients can share their medication lists and allergies with their physicians and other healthcare providers for purposes of treatment and coordination of care.

There are many situations that patients face where a lack of critical information about medications can result in harm.

For example, it would be important that physicians know whether a patient had taken insulin since it would be crucial to have an ongoing plan of monitoring of blood sugars and adminsitration of proper amounts of insulin. It would be important to know whether a patient requires anticoagulants since unintentionally omitting necessary blood thinners may lead to a stroke or blood clot in the lung. if a person came to the hospital with bleeding. Also, it would be important to know whether a patient requires medications to treat a seizure disorder since interrupting a regimen of seizure medications could lead to a dangerous seizure. 

Since MyHealthArchive empowers patients to participate in their healthcare, they can compile and store medication lists and critical health care information.

As a result, communication between patients and health care providers is improved and the risk for medication errors can be reduced.

The 2007 National Patient Safety Goals now require that hospitals implement processes for obtaining and documenting a complete list of patients' current medications at the time of admission, transfer, and discharge. Patients must be involved in these processes. MyHealthArchive helps hospitals to comply with the National Patient Safety Goals by providing technology to enhance communication between patients and health care providers.

We know from experience that patients who are involved in their own health care become empowered to make educated health care decisions, provide feedback, and follow their treatment plan. MyHealthArchive can enhance efforts to improve patient safety, patient satisfaction, and reduce medication errors.

¹ Institute for Safe Medication Practices (2006). General Advice on Safe Medication Use. Retrieved from; http://www.ismp.org/consumers/brochure.asp