Kaiser integrates dental, medical records

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente developed an integrated system that allows dental providers to view patients' medical records if they visit a Kaiser location, according to The Register-Guard.

Tara Paluska, DDS, is a dentist at Kaiser Permanente's Valley River Dental Officer. She writes in The Register-Guard the benefits to patients and her own operations for having an integrated system.

Prior to joining Kaiser, Dr. Paluska depended on patients to remember their medical histories. If a patient forgot to note their blood pressure reading or medication, it could severely impact their dental treatment course, as high blood pressure affects some dental procedures.

By having access to patients' medical records, Dr. Paluska can recommend more personalized treatment options. It also allows her to more easily connect a patient's oral health to their overall health. Often times, patients visit the dentist more than their medical providers. With an integrated system, dentists can recommend patients visit their medical providers for any missed labs or screenings, according to Dr. Paluska.

In one instance, Dr. Paluska noticed that a patient had an elevated blood pressure. The patient's record also indicated that she had been to the emergency department for a transient ischemic attack three months prior to her dental visit. Knowing the patient's history of cardiac disease, Dr. Paluska transferred the patient to the ED, knowing the dental care could wait.

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