Estudo piloto das necessidades de informação médico-dentária por médicos do Serviço Nacional de Saúde em Viseu

Abstract

Introduction: Since the great division between Dentistry and Medicine, there is a gap between professionals from both areas, which has proved to be unjustified and potentially dangerous for patient’s health considering the oral-systemic relations of various pathologies. With the rapid development and adoption of electronic health records, the feasibility of integrating medical and dental patient data should be considered in a holistic patient care approach. Objective: Analyze medical providers’ core dental information needs and opinion of integrated medical-dental electronic health record (iEHR) environment in their workflow. Methodology: It was delivered a paper questionnaire, through a face-to-face approach, to a group of 346 physicians practicing on Centros de Saúde de Viseu I and III and Hospital de São Teotónio, Viseu. The survey will board medical providers dental information needs, referral of patients to Oral Medicine consultations and their opinion and considerations about the use of an iEHR. The responses were analyzed based on provider specialty, his professional role/title and years of medical practice/experience. Results: The majority (88,8%) of the respondents felt the need for patient’s dental information to coordinate or provide efficient and effective medical care. 92,1% of the physicians considered useful the implementation of an iEHR to facilitate access to such data, especially Otorrinolaringologists, Cardiologists and Pneumologists. Physicians with fewer years of medical practice tend to neglet the sharing of this kind of information. Conclusion: This baseline survey allows us to understand the importance of intercommunication between Medicine and Dentistry. The implementation of an integrated electronic health record, secure and confidential, may facilitate bi-directional access t

Date of Award	2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	André Correia (Supervisor)