Opinion
Absence of EMRs isn't the problem, but not living up to their potential is
LETTER — Posted Jan. 26, 2009
Regarding "Tech-savvy med students fear life without EMRs" (Article, Dec. 29): The fear you describe is a significant vulnerability for these young doctors.
Leave aside the issue of whether they will, using these evolving systems, create fewer -- or simply different -- errors. Leave aside the issue of whether they risk becoming captives to the practices they join and to the information technicians and managers of the electronic health record.
Too often, it's the strategic planners for the area hospital who push adoption and control of the local dominant electronic health record, with an unstated intent to capture and preserve market share.
Until a universal, easily accessible database format, readable by any electronic health record, is developed and mandated, physicians shouldn't rush to applaud any of these systems.
They aren't good for the patients who wish to change physicians, nor are they good for the physicians who are contemplating leaving one practice for another.
Norman Harris, MD, Tustin, Calif.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/01/26/edlt0126.htm.
