check for record changed between read/chain(n) and update

I need to change a program to get a record from a file chain(n) and let the
user work with the data, go to other programs, return to the original
calling program, etc., then if the user makes changes to the data I need to
check whether the record has changed before updating.

Is there a better way to do this than bringing the data record into a data
structure chain(key) file DSname and then rewriting the entire program to
use the qualified field names from the DS?

I am concerned that even if I do this, that the record could be updated in
between the chain to get the record into a DS for comparison to the original
DS and the actual update.

Gene