Four-Year-Old Jacob’s “Bible” of Medical Records

At just four years old, Jacob has more medical records than most people will accumulate in a lifetime. Jacob is being treated at Children's Hospital Colorado for a complex kidney disease and serious heart condition. Dubbed “Jacob’s bible,” a gigantic accordion folder held paper records of his medical history, medications, labs and tests, accompanied by a large artists’ portfolio of x-rays and CT scans. At the height of Jacob’s care, his records filled an entire red wagon.

Not only was it cumbersome and inefficient to carry this load of paper records, but reliving Jacob’s medical history with each visit was emotionally draining. “I can’t imagine how you keep everything organized when you’re so emotionally confused,” says Heather Bottone, Jacob’s mother.

Heather tearfully recounts Jacob’s medical history, a rare task these days, thanks to electronic health records (EHR) that store all his information in one place for easy retrieval. Jacob’s care providers – past, present, and future – can access the records, with consent, to learn more about his case and prepare before his appointments.

Read a Wall Street Journal article about Jacob and EHR at Children's.

Jacob’s story

Born six weeks premature without functioning kidneys, Jacob spent three weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Joseph Hospital. He then survived more than five months of hospice care only to undergo trying medical procedures, including a dialysis catheter, kidney transplant (from his mother), gastric tube (G-tube) insertion, and angioplasty. Throughout his care, as many as 10 departments at Children's Hospital Colorado treated Jacob, including cardiology, the kidney center, urology, genetics, physical therapy, gastroenterology, nephrology, transplant, and surgery.

With so many departments, people, medications, and events affecting this young boy’s life, it could have been a struggle to keep his care organized – and it was – until his records went digital.

Jacob’s life gets easier with EHR

Two and a half years ago, Children's Hospital Colorado switched to EPIC, an EHR system. With EHR, Jacob’s care became more organized as the several physicians treating him immediately understood the scope of his care, both at Children’s and with other providers.

“When you go to other doctors with a case that’s this big, you want them to know it’s this big,” says Heather.

“It’s nice to not have to worry about remembering everything, whether it’s dates or meds or procedures,” adds Jason Bottone, Jacob’s father. “When we check him in, we can just say ‘see chart.’”

Now, instead of recounting Jacob’s medical history or remembering his medications list, Jason and Heather can focus on what’s most important: their charismatic and triumphant four-year-old.

Learn more about electronic health records at Children’s in this Wall Street Journal article.