Electronic Health Records Speed Chlamydia Treatment, Study Finds

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 02 Jun 2010 - 3:00 PDT


Electronic health records can significantly shorten treatment times for patients diagnosed with chlamydia, according to a study published online Thursday in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report reports (HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report, 5/27).

Chlamydia, which is sexually transmitted, can be cured with antibiotics. Untreated chlamydia infections in women can lead to serious health problems, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC fact sheet, 5/12).

For the study, researchers examined the medical records of 100 patients treated at a sexual health clinic either before or after it converted to EHRs. Before the clinic adopted EHRs, it took an average of 11.5 days for a patient to receive treatment after a chlamydia diagnosis, compared with 3.5 days under the EHR system.

Overall, the percentage of patients who were treated within two weeks of a chlamydia diagnosis increased from 38% before the EHR system to 94% afterward (HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report, 5/27).

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