Back Up Your Electronic Records

Posted by Kathy Quan Aug 19, 2008

This past weekend my neighborhood experienced yet another Internet and cable TV outage as our server worked on the unreliable lines. We all missed watching Michael Phelps earn his seventh gold medal in the 100 meter butterfly.

Locked out of our access to the world, I was reminded that although electronic records can be an excellent choice, having access can be challenging at times. There are numerous options available for developing and storing your own electronic health records online.

This helps to assure that in the event of a disaster like Hurricane Katrina of 2005, displaced persons could access medical records easily and not suffer the consequences of having to be re-diagnosed and possibly be without vital medications for days.

Being able to access these records can be a challenge in the event of power outages and server downtime. In a true emergency, power backup systems would be available and alternative server options may be as well.

It’s also a good idea to have your own back up copy and to keep it up to date. Paper copy may not be practical or secure, but a copy on your own hard drive as well as on a CD with passwords would be recommended. A portable generator may be handy as well if your computer is a desktop variety. Access to a laptop powered by battery would be a preferred option.

This can be especially important in the event you are in charge of the care for an elderly or ill relative and need to access the information frequently for hired caregivers. Don’t rely completely on technology. It is after all, controlled by fallible human beings.