Despite progress on health IT interoperability, tough questions remain
Data-sharing in healthcare remains difficult, and despite assertions that the industry is on the cusp of a breakthrough, many are impatient with the slow pace of progress. Those attending the Digital Healthcare Conference in Madison, Wis., last week addressed some of the biggest questions about the sad state of interoperability.
Oklahoma REC a health IT 'fixture' for rural providers
Providers have made great strides in adopting electronic health records, but the process is not without its challenges, Jonathan Kolarik, Director of Health IT for the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality's Regional Extension Center Network, tells FierceEMR in an exclusive interview.
EHRA code of conduct only a baby step toward greater patient safety
While the HIMSS EHRA's new Code of Conduct already has been heralded by the EHR vendor industry, I can't help but be a little cynical.
Epic, athenahealth tops for EHR usability, KLAS says
Physicians, take heed: The usability of ambulatory electronic health record systems varies significantly, according to a new report from Orem, Utah-based KLAS Research.
Practitioners vent EHR concerns in newspaper op-eds
Tired of suffering in silence, physician practices are turning to the editorial pages of their local newspapers to publicize their concerns with their electronic health records.
Voice recognition error causes EHR misdiagnosis
San Diego Beacon cites success in linking paramedics to hospital EMRs
Patient safety the focus of EHRA vendor code of conduct
After months of speculation, the HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association has released its EHR Developer Code of Conduct to promote a "transparent set of principles" governing the EHR vendor industry.
ONC guide aims to help providers use EHR alerts to reduce readmissions
Non-intrusive EHR alert increases flu vaccination rates
Using a "gentle" electronic health record flu prompt not only increased the number of flu vaccinations children received, but also improved the documentation explaining why the vaccine was not administered, according to a new study.
As EHRs increasingly go mobile, prioritize security efforts
I read with great interest my colleague Greg Slabodkin's thought-provoking commentary this week about electronic health records and mobile technology. Slabodkin, the editor of FierceMobileHealthcare, noted both the "meteoritic" rise in demand for mobile device EHR applications by physicians and the fact that use of mobile technology could make users more satisfied with their EHRs.
A commenter quickly reacted to express concern that mobile EHR applications, while convenient, are particularly vulnerable to security breaches.
This is true. And that concept has not escaped the government.
Are docs really struggling to meet Meaningful Use?
Physicians have had difficulty meeting Meaningful Use criteria for electronic health records, according to research published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The research, based on a survey of 1,820 primary care physicians and office-based specialists conducted between late 2011 and early 2012, determined that less than 10 percent of physicians had met Meaningful Use criteria as of early 2012.
EHR corrections can cause new mistakes
Correcting errors in electronic health records can be trickier to deal with than correcting errors in paper records, according to Georgette Samaritan, senior risk manager and patient safety consultant with Atlanta-based MAG Mutual Insurance Company.
'Hybrid' medical record systems boost likelihood of errors
Using both a paper and an electronic health record system at the same time--a common practice during an entity's transition from paper to EHRs--increases the likelihood of errors, according to a recent study from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority.
EHRs can ID 'missing' high-risk patients
Electronic health records can help identify high risk pregnancy patients so that they can receive treatment before suffering medical complications, according to a new article published in Johns Hopkins Public Health.
Providers: Test your EHR backup plan frequently
Physicians need to ensure that they are properly backing up the data in their electronic health record systems, and also know how to restore that data.
EHR adoption up, but doc satisfaction lags
More physicians than ever are using electronic health record systems, but they're not as happy with them as they used to be, according to a new survey by Physicians Practice.
EHR 'proficiency' requirement may have unintended consequences
I must admit, I was surprised when I read that Massachusetts's healthcare law, passed last summer, includes a provision that requires physicians to demonstrate a "proficiency" in the use of EHRs, electronic prescribing, computerized physician order entry and other forms of health IT as a condition of licensure. This law goes far beyond the federal HITECH Act and Meaningful Use program. HITECH will impose financial penalties on physicians who don't meaningfully use electronic health records by 2015. In Massachusetts, physicians who don't meaningful use their EHRs by then will lose their licenses to practice their livelihood.
That's a big difference.
Beacon program success highlights HIE value
The Beacon Community program has shown that health information exchange meets real business needs and brings value to the industry, according to National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari.
EHR alert overload complicates treatment, harms patient
Alert overload and the alert fatigue it causes can complicate treatment and lead to adverse patient results, according to a case study published in the June issue of Pediatrics.
