The number of people treated for Chlamydia within two weeks of a test result can more than double after the introduction of electronic patient records, says a report published today in Sexually Transmitted Infections a BMJ peer-reviewed medical journal.

The researchers examined treatment cycles of 100 sexual health clinic patients who were treated either in:

  • The first three months of 2007 – before electronic patient records were introduced
  • Or

  • The first three months of 2009, after paper records were shifted to electronic ones

The average time taken to treat a Chlamydia-positive patient fell by 11.5 days to 3.5 days between 2007 and 2009, the authors report.

  • The average time between 1st clinic attendance and treatment fell by 9.5 days to 11.5 days. Even though test results taking two days longer to arrive from the laboratory.
  • The proportion of patients treated within 2 weeks of receiving a positive test result rose from 38% in 2007 to 94% in 2009. Patients were contacted an average of 7 days sooner in 2009.

Recall time was also reduced thanks to electronic records, by eliminating time consuming administrative procedures, such as searching for notes, and boosting efficiency, because many of the paper records had not been updated and so contained inaccurate contact information.

Consequently, a significantly higher number of patients were recalled by telephone:
  • 59% were contacted in this way in 2007
  • 88% were contracted in this way in 2009.
  • Swifter contact ensured prompter treatment.

    The authors said:

    The longer a [sexually transmitted infection] goes untreated, the more risk there is of onward transmission and of clinical complications.

    Appropriate use of technology greatly improves our ability to treat patients rapidly, and we should strive to use all available methods, for the good of our patients and the betterment of public health.

    Clinics still running paper based records should strongly consider switching to electronic patient records..

    “The effect of electronic patient records [EPR] on the time taken to treat patients with genital Chlamydia infection”
    M G Brook, T Baveja, L Smondulak, S Shukla
    Sex Transm Infect 2010; doi 10.1136/sti.2010.042432

    Written by Christian Nordqvist