Electronic Medical Record Tracking Can Prevent Radiation Overdose

The American Medical Association House of Delegates implemented new policies using electronic medical record systems to track patient radiation dose in order to protect patients from over dosage.

Research shows that there is a cumulative lifetime impact of radiation from diagnostic tests, which has shown to increase risk for many types cancer. The policies oblige medical personnel, including non-physicians who perform ionizing and non-ionzing radiation tests to be trained in an EMR patient tracking systems. In addition, the policies support funding for education programs aimed at raising awareness among patients about medical radiation exposure.

Electronic medical records can track the number of imaging procedures a patient has received in all hospital and doctor visits. Any unnecessary diagnostic testing is discouraged under these policies.

“The American Medical Association has been working toward solutions for reducing medical radiation exposure, and new policy adopted by the AMA promotes the safe use of medical imaging devices and supports proper training for the medical personnel who use them,” commented Cecil B. Wilson, MD, AMA Immediate Past President.

By tracking and estimating the amount of radiation each patient is receiving, physicians and patients can more carefully asses the risk. For example, CT scans which produce 50 to 250 times more radiation than a conventional X-ray, depending on the patient’s needs, may not be worth the risk. In addition, a patient’s personal health record provide a means to have patients personally track their radiation exposure, allowing them to be more part of the process.