Here’s work for lots of people

It will cost $19 billion to computerize medical records.

As part of the stimulus plan to kick-start the U.S. economy, the Obama administration is allocating $19 billion to computerize medical records. Computer companies around the world lifted their eyelids as the announcement was made – the plan will involve a great deal of work and there are many companies in many countries who would like to be part of this boring project. Boring it may be, but there are not many projects anywhere in the world with such a budget.

I’ll volunteer

I will happily volunteer for a small part of the work. I know it will mean sitting scrunched over the computer for months and months keying in huge gobs of data and information. Of course a great part of the work will be way beyond me and I would never offer to do it because it’s at the hi-tech end of this project and involves technical data, pictures, x-rays and ultra-sounds that are meaningless to me. There is also bound to be masses of sensitive information that only doctors or other suitable professionals will be allowed to handle. As long as I am informed in good time, I will apply for an Installment Loan and I will go out and buy the fastest computer I can find to be an efficient part of this important plan.

The aspirin level

I’m interested in the work at aspirin level – how many pills and what pills is Joe Smith popping per day, on whose instructions, where he buys his medications and are they doing any good.

Setting up

The setting up stage is going to be at nightmare level. The hard part will come after the entry of name, address, age, DOB, and previous illnesses. After that will come the “doctor-visit” section. You book an appointment with your family doctor, the appointment is recorded in the new system, you arrive for your visit. The doctor logs you in and you tell him what’s wrong. He or she enters this, and this is recorded in the new system. The doctor prescribes a pill which is recorded in the new system and suggests you visit an ear specialist. For most of your visit the doctor has been busy entering information into his computer which is linked to the medical agency’s computer where all the information is stored. From there is goes around the corner to a huge warehouse where it is backed up

The ear specialist

The ear specialist will practically repeat the exercise and in addition he will look down your ear. He will send you for a blood test, stirring up another huge bout of information exchange. More prescriptions and more pills will result. It is endless.

Everything is connected

All your medical information will be connected countrywide and then one day you drop into a pharmacy in some remote village to buy a teddy bear for your grandchild and you make the mistake of paying with your credit card. The pharmacist rings up the sale, slides your card through the slot, peers at you over the top of his spectacles and says, “Aha! I see you also got a dose of the swine flu back in ’09! How are you feeling?”

A computerized health system is way overdue and has many benefits. This is the 21st century and we should be up to date in all aspects of our lives.