IM BLOG: Records Everywhere – Nine Weeks On

Many of you may already be aware that nine weeks ago I was involved in what can only be described as a freak accident. As I was getting into my parked car, another vehicle attempted to overtake on the left-hand side and struck me at approximately 50 km/h.

Thankfully, I am here to tell the story and am making steady progress in my recovery. However, over the past nine weeks I have gained a very different perspective on records and information management…one that I wasn't expecting.

As records practitioners, we spend our careers talking about the importance of information, accessibility and the value of maintaining a complete and accurate record. It wasn't until I became the subject of those records that I truly appreciated how fragmented and difficult that process can be.

Since the accident, records about me have been created everywhere. Hospital records. Ambulance records. Medical imaging. Specialist reports. GP notes. Insurance documents. Income protection forms. Police records. Rehabilitation assessments. The list goes on.

Yet despite there being more records about me than ever before, obtaining a complete picture of what has happened has been surprisingly difficult.

My initial treatment occurred through the public hospital trauma system, where X-rays, scans and imaging were undertaken. Later, I transferred to a private hospital for ongoing care and rehabilitation. What I discovered was that the imaging held by one provider was not readily accessible to another.

As a result, some scans and X-rays had to be repeated. When you are already dealing with pain, uncertainty and recovery, repeating procedures that have already been undertaken is not something you want to experience. It added stress at a time when my should have been focused on getting better.

The same challenge existed with other medical information. Detailed treatment records and pain management plans did not effortlessly transfer between providers. New assessments were undertaken and different treatment approaches applied. While every clinician was doing their best, the lack of information continuity created inconsistency and uncertainty during an already difficult period.

It left me asking a simple question: why is information still so difficult to share when it concerns the person it is actually about?

The challenges didn't stop with healthcare.

In Queensland, when a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, police are generally required to attend the scene. In my case, despite witnesses and the driver waiting for more than two hours, police never arrived. A witness later attended a police station to lodge a report.

Nine weeks later, I still do not know what became of that report. I do not know whether the driver was formally interviewed, whether charges were considered, or even how the incident has been recorded. Yet I require that information for insurance and income protection purposes.

Ironically, as the person who was injured, gaining access to information about my own incident has proven difficult.

Throughout this experience I have become increasingly aware of the challenges many people face when trying to access records that directly affect their lives. Most members of the public have little understanding of information access rights, privacy legislation, or Right to Information processes. Nor should they need to.

When people are dealing with illness, injury, grief, trauma or major life events, they should not have to become experts in navigating fragmented information systems simply to obtain records about themselves.

What this experience has reinforced for me is that records management is not just about compliance, classification or governance.

At its heart, our profession is about people.

Every record represents a person, an event, a decision, a moment in time, or a need. When information is inaccessible, duplicated, siloed or disconnected, the impact is felt by real people facing real challenges.

As I continue my recovery, I find myself wondering what role we as records and information management professionals can play in advocating for change. How can we help create more connected information environments? How can we improve accessibility while maintaining privacy? How can we ensure individuals have easier access to records that affect their health, wellbeing and livelihoods?

These are not new questions, but they have become very personal ones for me.

For now, I remain focused on my recovery, and I thank everyone who has reached out with their support, encouragement and good wishes. It has been greatly appreciated.

But nine weeks on, one thing is very clear: records are everywhere. The challenge is making sure they are available to the people who need them, when they need them most.

Meet your blog author:

 

Anne Cornish CSRIM MRIM (Life)

Anne is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the information and records management arena, working with all levels of government and most large private industry sectors. She is the CEO of RIMPA Global, the peak body for records and information management professionals in Australasia and beyond.