3 ms·

This article clearly describes the challenges we are trying to solve at https://picnichealth.com/ https://picnichealth.com/ (YC S14). Our goal is to take the bu

by spalas 8y ago

This article clearly describes the challenges we are trying to solve at https://picnichealth.com/ https://picnichealth.com/ (YC S14). Our goal is to take the burden of compiling and maintaining a complete medical history off of the patient while at the same time providing them with the utility of having access to and the ability to seamlessly share their records with future doctors. Given the current state of EHR systems (and their lack of interoperability) this often means dropping into the world of faxes and paper. To deal with this we have built up systems for requesting, re-digitizing, structuring, and validating medical records (in whatever format we receive them). If you are interested in working with us to address these challenges, we are hiring in a variety of roles: https://team.picnichealth.com/jobs https://team.picnichealth.com/jobs

troyastorino 8y ago
Adding on as one of the PicnicHealth founders. Unfortunately, the kind of experiences described are extremely common in transfer-of-care settings. When we were starting PicnicHealth, my grandfather was in-and-out of several different ICUs. Preventable mistakes when moving between facilities and providers — inadvertently changed medication dosages, missed therapy regimens, un-transferred test results — created health emergencies that kept pushing him back further and further from recovery. He ultimately passed away. We had these problems around information management and transfer even though my dad (my grandfather's son) is a doctor, and was continuously in touch with the different care teams. Without a central, complete source of information, things will always get missed. Patients and doctors deserve solutions to this problem today. Like the author said, you can only piece together a patient's medical history if you're willing to deal with records in any form, including faxing and scanning paper and mailing CDs. It's hard, dirty work, but it's the only way to get everything together. PicnicHealth does this so patients don't have to. And gathering the records is actually just the first part —you need to structure and normalize information in the different records so it's possible to do things like view trends and use control-find. Full electronic interoperability is slowly coming, but it's been slowly coming for more than 20 years. I would be shocked if in 10 years faxes aren't still being sent. We need to push to make interoperability happen as quickly as possible, but in the meantime patients and their care can't wait.

by spalas 8y ago

troyastorino 8y ago

Adding on as one of the PicnicHealth founders. Unfortunately, the kind of experiences described are extremely common in transfer-of-care settings. When we were starting PicnicHealth, my grandfather was in-and-out of several different ICUs. Preventable mistakes when moving between facilities and providers — inadvertently changed medication dosages, missed therapy regimens, un-transferred test results — created health emergencies that kept pushing him back further and further from recovery. He ultimately passed away. We had these problems around information management and transfer even though my dad (my grandfather's son) is a doctor, and was continuously in touch with the different care teams. Without a central, complete source of information, things will always get missed. Patients and doctors deserve solutions to this problem today. Like the author said, you can only piece together a patient's medical history if you're willing to deal with records in any form, including faxing and scanning paper and mailing CDs. It's hard, dirty work, but it's the only way to get everything together. PicnicHealth does this so patients don't have to. And gathering the records is actually just the first part —you need to structure and normalize information in the different records so it's possible to do things like view trends and use control-find. Full electronic interoperability is slowly coming, but it's been slowly coming for more than 20 years. I would be shocked if in 10 years faxes aren't still being sent. We need to push to make interoperability happen as quickly as possible, but in the meantime patients and their care can't wait.