University of California San Francisco is the First to Integrate Records Across Medical and Dental

University of California San Francisco is the First to Integrate Records Across Medical and Dental

University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Health and UCSF Dentistry have now become the first system to merge medical and oral health records electronically. This will enable both dental professionals and other health discipline professionals to work with each other for full treatment modalities in their patients, according to a press release from UCSF.

Because of the oral-systemic link, it was important for this integration to happen, according to dean of the UCSF School of Dentistry and associate vice chancellor of Oral Health Affairs, Michael Reddy.

“We know that oral health impacts a wide range of conditions, from heart disease to preterm birth, but until now it has been difficult for health care providers to make those connections for individual patients,” Reddy said in the press release. “This is the type of integration and innovation that helps us offer patients world-class care based on both the latest science and their specific needs.”

Care can now be coordinated through the synergy and integration of these records, according to president and CEO, UCSF, Suresh Gunasekaran.

“This connection gives UCSF Health and UCSF dental clinicians a more complete picture of their patients’ health information, including a shared medication list, and provides new opportunities to coordinate care,” Gunasekaran said in the press release. “Given the synergistic relationship between oral health and overall wellness, a comprehensive approach to oral and medical care makes sense and positions UCSF to be a leader in breaking down barriers between the fields of dentistry and medicine.”