By Kathy Hegarty, Clinical Manager & EMR Specialist
EHR – These letters stand for “electronic health record,” also known as electronic medical records (EMR). Kathy Hegarty, Seventy-Five State Street EMR Specialist discusses how new tech is changing senior living. © pandpstock001 / Adobe Stock
Many types of technology are changing rapidly. It’s no secret that the tech boom is having a huge impact on our social interactions with friends, coworkers, and even family members. But new tech is also changing the way we receive medical care, and the way healthcare facilities handle day-to-day operations.
Electronic Medical Records
You may have heard the staff at your doctor’s office reference something called an “EMR.” These letters stand for “electronic medical record,” sometimes called an “electronic health record” (EHR). Using electronic medical records has many advantages. For one thing, it allows for faster and more secure access to patient data. Electronic records reduce errors that can accompany hand-written notes. They also eliminate the problem of lost or misfiled papers. Virtual storage is efficient, precise, and secure.
But medical records aren’t the only aspect of healthcare that’s going digital. According to a recent article in “McKnight’s Senior Living,” some assisted and independent living communities are helping researchers develop robots that could serve as companions and caregivers. These computerized helpers will be programmed to assist older adults in their activities of daily living. Some examples include helping to locate misplaced objects, providing reminders to take medications, or simply reciting a resident’s favorite poems or changing the TV channel.
Tech at Seventy-Five State Street
Of course, not every technological innovation feels like something straight out of a sci-fi novel! Here at Seventy-Five State Street, you won’t see robots cruising through our common spaces, but we’re using technology in creative ways every single day. Announcements and bulletins are provided via digital screens: this allows us to keep our community informed of events as they happen in real-time. We’re also providing an online option for collecting community feedback from residents and staff. This go-green measure doubles as an opportunity for residents to develop their computer skills, using on-site machines and staff assistance as needed. Learning a new skill has numerous benefits for cognitive health.
Employees, too, can participate in tech trainings: a recent example is our “iPhone-ology” session, designed to expand our team’s technical acuity both at work and at home. Even the simple addition of a new DSLR camera to our community allows us to capture and share memories in higher-definition than ever before. Sure, terms like “aperture” and “shutter speed” come with a slight learning curve, but the stunning images that we can now enjoy are so worth it.
There’s no doubt that changes in technology can be intimidating. But they can also be exciting and inspiring, leading us down new roads and arming us with new tools and skills. At Seventy-Five State Street, we can’t wait to see where technology will take us.
Content provided by Seventy-Five State Street.
