Reducing Number of Unnecessary Prescriptions with Electronic Health Records

Many companies provide health insurance; however, Schleh Benefits Resources provides an enhanced level of expertise and customer service to help its clients find the perfect health plan.

Virginia Beach, VA (prHWY.com) August 29, 2012 - Virginia Beach, Virginia - Utilizing electronic health records (EHRs) to keep doctors informed of infections in their community could help reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, according to a study published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers studied EHRs documenting 28,000 patients who saw one of 69 doctors at NorthShore University Health System in Evanston, Illinois during flu season from 2006-2011. The doctors prescribed antibiotics for patients complaining of a fever and cough or cold symptoms about 45% of the time. The problem with this practice is that many respiratory infections are in actuality caused by viruses. Not only do antibiotics fail to provide benefits to these patients, they could even cause adverse outcomes. You can learn more about medications and their effects on various illnesses by speaking with a Virginia insurance agent.

As many people are aware, viruses also cause strains of the flu. Viruses cannot be eradicated by antibiotics. Researchers noticed patterns that suggested doctors may have been influenced against prescribing antibiotics at certain times by knowledge of flu outbreaks in the local area, as the percentage of antibiotic prescriptions dropped during these periods. This trend was one of the factors behind researchers' conclusion that developing a tool that uses data from EHRs to alert doctors to illnesses and symptoms in their community may help reduce instances of unnecessary antibiotic prescribing among Virginia healthcare providers.

It is important to have access to Virginia healthcare anytime you feel ill, as self diagnosing and self medicating rarely works. Schleh Benefits Resources works with top rated carriers to offer a broad range of insurance plans including:

* Individual Health Insurance
* Group Plans
* Medicare Plans
* Dental Insurance
* Life Insurance

To help insurance shoppers determine which type of plan is most suitable to their budget and medical needs, Schleh Benefits Resources provides an instant quote engine on its website at www.OnlineHealthPlanQuotes.com. Begin by comparing free quotes, and from there you can speak in-depth with a licensed agent about your coverage options.

About Schleh Benefits Resources

Many companies provide health insurance; however, Schleh Benefits Resources provides an enhanced level of expertise and customer service to help its clients find the perfect health plan. We offer a variety of health and life insurance services guaranteed to bring you value, while meeting your medical needs and budget.

Contact: bschleh.sbr@cox.net
2245 Haversham Close Rd
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
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