Noteboom The Law Firm

A Modern Approach to Searching Veteran Medical Records May Be Around the Corner

Traditionally searching through patients' medical records consists of using numerical billing codes, which are tied to reimbursements. Using such a technique, however, has been shown to be highly ineffective. Using searches containing "English words and phrases," such as is used for Internet searches have turned up much better results in studies to date. Given this information, it seems clear that such a program would benefit the world of veterans disability.

A team of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) researchers reviewed 2,974 patient records, and compared text searches to numeric code searches. The study covered the records of surgery patients from 6 VA medical centers between 1999 and 2006. Researchers were looking for specific surgical complications such as pneumonia and renal failure. Their text searches produced vital documents not in any way available searching by numeric code, such as:

• patient charts;
• physicians' notes;
• laboratory notes; and
• imaging notes.

Medical systems able to search records by text, then, allow clinicians using them to provide safer health care. Numeric codes, which are used for administrative purposes as well as billing, are not tied to quality of health care. Using text searches allows for the most accurate information and places the accountability on the VA hospital.

Changing systems from numeric billing searching to text searching, however, comes at a cost. While better health care is likely able to be provided, physically changing the system to allow for the text searching risks destabilizing many systems. Further, clinicians would need to spend time getting re-trained to use the new system. On the other side, hospitals can miss close to 90% of "preventable patient injuries and infections" relying solely on numeric code records.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.