The SMU Memorial Health Center switched all of its medical records from paper to electronic records Feb. 26. (Courtesy of SMU)

Big changes are underway at the Memorial Health Center this week.

Beginning Tues., Feb 26, all records will become electronic.

Health center physicians and nurses will no longer be using folders filled with paper, but rather a computer.

This new system, dubbed Point and Click, will allow students to check themselves in in, schedule their appointments, fill out patient forms and check lab results all online.

Physicians will even be capable of instant messaging a patient letting them know that their lab results are completed.

“This is a state of the art system. Paper records are a thing of the past, it is all going on email,” Patrick Hite, the executive director of Memorial Health Center, said.

The transition from paper to electronic records began nearly two years ago when the health center first received funding to make this move.

The use of EMRs has “enhanced overall patient care” according to healthit.gov.

Other Texas schools, such as University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas and Baylor have already made the transition to electronic records, prompting SMU to do the same.

“Other universities like it, it is just a big change to adjust to,” Hite said.

Hite said that with each change comes a learning period, so students should be prepared for the first few weeks to be less efficient.

“We may be a little slow, so we are bringing in extra nurses and doctors,” Hite said.

“There is always a learning curve as the staff learns the new system.”

But Hite hopes that by the end of the semester, all staff will be used to the changes and the pace will return to normal.

An email will be sent to all parents and students later this week further explaining the transition.