Imagine this scenario. You live in a small rural community in southern Indiana but decide to spend a weekend in Chicago. Unfortunately, you’re involved in a serious car accident and you’re rushed to a Chicago hospital. In today’s world, the ER staff doesn’t know you or your medical history. Valuable time could be lost as the ER team ascertains your history along with your medical condition.
Alumnus Dr. Todd Rowland ’85 and Wabash interns Austin Shurtz ’08 and Jason Siegel ’08 are working on the solution – Electronic Medical Records (EMR). Our students, under Todd’s direction, are developing and field testing EMRs this summer. Austin and Jason have developed templates the doctors simply fill in during a visit. These templates become a part of the patient’s medical record and can be safely shared, electronically, almost instantaneously. So that Chicago emergency room could have the opportunity to review your medical record before you even arrive.
Todd, Austin, and Jason are changing our world for the better. Cool. Very cool indeed.
Photo (courtesy of Howard Hewitt); Austin Shurtz ’08, Jason Siegel ’08, Dr. Todd Rowland ’85
