Improvements in Accuracy of Prescriptions Possible with Electronic Health Records

Financial Group of Virginia services the Richmond, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Chesapeake and Petersburg areas.

Glen Allen, VA (prHWY.com) August 29, 2012 - Richmond, Virginia - Developing a tool that uses data from electronic health records (EHRs) to alert doctors to illnesses and symptoms in their community may help reduce instances of unnecessary antibiotic prescribing among insurance Virginia providers, according to a study published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine. 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. As many people are aware, viruses also cause strains of the flu. Viruses cannot be eradicated by antibiotics. This trend was one of the factors behind researchers' conclusion that utilizing EHRs to keep doctors informed of infections in their community could help reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.

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 an insurance Virginia agent.

It is important to have access to health insurance in Virginia anytime you feel ill, as self diagnosing and self medicating rarely works. Financial Group of Virginia works with top rated carriers to offer comprehensive, affordable health insurance plans including the following:

* Individual Health Insurance
* Medicare Advantage
* Medicare Supplement
* Medicare Part D
* Group Health Insurance
* Group Disability
* Group Vision Insurance
* Group Long Term Care Insurance

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

About Financial Group of Virginia

Financial Group of Virginia services the Richmond, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Chesapeake and Petersburg areas. The agency is able to offer a broad range of coverage options thanks to its partnerships with top rated carriers including Anthem, Aetna, Southern Health and Optima.

Contact: clynch@cfpva.com
Financial Group of Virginia
4880 Sadler Road, Suite 110
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Phone:
804.290.8783

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