GMA, son want high-tech medical records hub created

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo and her son Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Arroyo have sought the creation of a center where all databanks of medical records and other pertinent information significant to the patient’s history will be kept.

Under the House Bill 2809 filed by the Arroyos, an Electronic Medical Records Center will be established under the Department of Health.

Arroyo said the records center should generate specialized software to be distributed and used as the standard platform for the maintenance, updating, uploading and making available electronic medical records.

"The bill will provide easy access to our own medical records electronically over the Internet to save time, money and effort and obtaining vital medical information especially in emergency cases which can help avoid unnecessary loss of lives," Arroyo said.

Under the bill, all medical records, electronic communications and transactions electronic medical records system shall use the existing 128-bit encryption or higher form of "Secure Socket Layer" technology, which may be devised in the future.

The medical service providers shall create and maintain electronic medical records, which shall be electronically uploaded on a regular basis.

The medical service providers shall also maintain hard copies of the electronic records to be printed and stored as back-up records.

Aside from keeping records, the electronic medical records facilities shall provide for an electronic facility where the patients and medical service providers can communicate on-line either in real time or off-line.