title: Information technology: passport to the future.
abstract: Health care information in this millennium will become increasingly digital and electronically available. To keep pace and survive, occupational health leaders must determine the appropriate information technology strategy for their organization. The development and implementation of an electronic medical record can only be accomplished through a team effort that includes: management support to secure the necessary funding; participation of users to determine the application requirements and design; information systems expertise availability; and user education to ensure acceptance. The implementation of an electronic medical record is a journey, not a project, and it is the beginning of the organization's information infrastructure. Benefits include: increased staff efficiency with electronic versus paper folders; legible written documentation; multiple accessibility of medical records to authorized users; reduced potential for record loss/misfiling; and the ability to operate remotely and take advantage of more advanced technologies in the future. Occupational health staff must have the necessary computer applications on their desktops to increase their skills and enhance productivity.
authors.affiliation: IBM Global Occupational Health Services, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mangiameli
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boseman
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D014481:United States