Clinical Interventions in Aging (Dec 2023)
Use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Gerontology: Benefits, Considerations and a Promising Future
Abstract
Adam Bednorz,1,2 Jonathan KL Mak,3 Juulia Jylhävä,3,4 Dorota Religa5,6 1John Paul II Geriatric Hospital, Katowice, Poland; 2Institute of Psychology, Humanitas Academy, Sosnowiec, Poland; 3Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 4Faculty of Social Sciences (Health Sciences) and Gerontology Research Center (GEREC), University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland; 5Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; 6Theme Inflammation and Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SwedenCorrespondence: Dorota Religa, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, H1 Neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle, H1 Klinisk geriatrik Religa, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden, Tel +46 724698503, Fax +46 08-31 11 01, Email [email protected]: Electronic medical records (EMRs) have many benefits in clinical research in gerontology, enabling data analysis, development of prognostic tools and disease risk prediction. EMRs also offer a range of advantages in clinical practice, such as comprehensive medical records, streamlined communication with healthcare providers, remote data access, and rapid retrieval of test results, ultimately leading to increased efficiency, enhanced patient safety, and improved quality of care in gerontology, which includes benefits like reduced medication use and better patient history taking and physical examination assessments. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) approaches on EMRs can further improve disease diagnosis, symptom classification, and support clinical decision-making. However, there are also challenges related to data quality, data entry errors, as well as the ethics and safety of using AI in healthcare. This article discusses the future of EMRs in gerontology and the application of AI and ML in clinical research. Ethical and legal issues surrounding data sharing and the need for healthcare professionals to critically evaluate and integrate these technologies are also emphasized. The article concludes by discussing the challenges related to the use of EMRs in research as well as in their primary intended use, the daily clinical practice.Keywords: electronic medical records, gerontology, artificial intelligence, geriatrics, aging
