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June is Men’s Health Awareness Month, which is a time set aside to bring awareness to health challenges unique to men and to recognize the importance of proper healthcare treatment for men. Statistically, men are less likely to seek treatment from providers, yet continue to suffer from health issues at rising rates, such as mental health difficulties and diseases like prostate cancer.

An electronic health record (EHR) can assist in encouraging regular appointments, providing healthcare on men’s terms, supporting communication and confidentiality, and giving men control over their own health. 

Encouraging regular health appointments

With men already likely to avoid regular health treatments, the option for your male clients to choose how they prefer to communicate with you makes scheduling a routine check-up less of a hassle. If your EHR includes a patient portal with self-scheduling options, this could encourage your male clients to schedule an appointment for preventative care or check-up if they prefer that to calling you on the phone. 

Once the appointment is made in the way your client prefers, it can be difficult for them to keep track of when it is. If you have an EHR that can automatically send patient reminders via email, text, etc., based upon your client’s preference, these are a great way to make sure those appointments aren’t missed. 

Providing healthcare on men’s terms

During Men’s Health Awareness month, it can be helpful to think from the perspective of your male clients. Some of your male clients may feel intimidated by going to the doctor in person, or nervous about the outcomes of treatment. The addition of tools such as an EHR embedded telehealth solution provides alternate services where your clients have a safe place to discuss their health with your providers in the comfort of their own homes. Telehealth appointments are convenient for your clients.

One study shows that 61 percent of men would be more likely to go to their yearly check-ups if seeing the doctor was more convenient for them. Video call appointments through telehealth are easily available for busy patients as they can speak with their provider anywhere they are. 

Additionally, an EHR patient portal can provide tools for your clients to fill out paperwork online, before the appointment. This is helpful for providers and clients alike as they shorten waiting times in the lobby, thus saving time away from home or work and making the whole process more convenient.

Supporting communication and confidentiality

A trustworthy EHR system will support clear communication between provider, client, and any other medical providers your clients are seeing. Online tools assist in this communication, one of those being screening tools for substance abuse, which you can attach in referrals to other providers. Another tool is an interface that is available for checking immunization registries for current vaccination status. Easy and confidential communication through a secure EHR with all providers involved supports wellness, Behavioral Health Integration and whole-person care.

Good communication through your EHR also helps to build trust with clients, and Men’s Health Awareness Month reminds us of that. Honesty is a necessary component of beneficial communication. Filling out forms online before talking to a provider face-to-face is helpful for some men who may feel uncomfortable talking about drug use, sexual history, or medical issues directly with their provider. 20 percent of men admit they have not been completely honest with their doctor before. 46 percent of those men say that the reason why they were not honest was that they felt embarrassed. An online option to fill out intake forms and health questionnaires may take away some of the discomfort in confrontation– especially through a secure EHR that provides 100 percent confidentiality to protect clients’ privacy.

Giving men control over their own health 

Through a patient portal, clients can take ownership of their health by utilizing tools such as the calendar, test results, health histories, and health forms. By putting their electronic health records into their own hands, clients can prioritize their own wellness and are more likely to comply with what is recommended for treatment. 

An EHR that provides your clients’ health management tools and access to medical information and treatment instructions online, after the appointment, can help your clients not feel as overwhelmed with things to do, as they can see treatment notes from their provider online. By a client not only hearing a treatment plan but also seeing it online, they can easily remember conversations with their provider and feel more supported in getting the help they need. 

Your EHR is a critical resource for supportive, whole-person care– especially for those who need it most. Join us in celebrating Men’s Health Awareness Month and recognizing how an EHR and EHR embedded tools can support you in treating your male clients any time of the year. 

About Patagonia Health, Inc. 

Patagonia Health is a living Electronic Health Record (EHR) software designed to meet the complex needs and desired health outcomes of Public Health and Behavioral Health organizations. Our federally certified, easy-to-learn platform includes integrated practice management and billing software so you get one end-to-end solution. Employee-owned and organically grown, our mission is to support your business with software and service that allows you to provide your patients with the care they deserve. If you’d like more information about our solutions, contact us today.