Evolution of the Health Record as a Communication Tool to Support Patient Safety

This chapter provides a brief history of health records development through the ages, from ancientMesopotamian clay tablets through to today’s electronic health record. An understanding of where wehave come from informs future direction and enhances knowledge. While the content and method hasevolved, the need to document health information has been consistent for over 4000 years. The centralpremise has always been to support quality health care through quality information. This chapter willexplore the link between health records and patient safety