Heart Specialists of Ohio, Inc., a Columbus cardiology practice, has begun providing its patients with a new technology that allows them to carry their medical records with them at all times in their pocket, wallet or purse.

The technology, MyRECORD, is a credit card-sized compact disc that contains a patient’s current medical information and history pulled directly from their cardiologist medical record. The practice is one of the first medical groups in the country to offer this portable medical record technology to patients.

Medical errors are a leading cause of death. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that emergency room visits have hit a record high of nearly 114 million visits per year. Providing patients with access to their medical record at point of care will save lives and produce better outcomes.

MyRECORD can be inserted into any computer and read by any Web browser, anywhere in the world. Healthcare providers can immediately see a patient’s medical history, active medications, current diagnosis and treatments, as well as review the patient’s most recent test results from the disc’s medical record information; thus supporting better and faster diagnoses and treatment decisions.

Cardiologists at Heart Specialist of Ohio are pleased to break new ground in Central Ohio by offering their patients exclusive access to this technology. Access to accurate and updated patient information is a critical component for patients managing heart disease, particularly in emergency situations when timely access to this information can mean the difference between life and death.

According to Alan Haaksma, MyRECORD’s inventor and vice president of patient services for GEMMS, the product’s cost is far less than traditional medical identification bracelets and the technology offers faster, more robust, physician endorsed information at the point-of-care. Patients who request a portable health record will be charged a fee of $10.