Disaster of Electronic Records

[Skull]

Not such a good idea after all, plus Medicare paperwork expands because of such 'records'.

http://www.jpands.org/vol21no2/huntoon.pdf

 

[DGS49]

The transition from paper to electronic records has been transparent to most administrative types, but the risks are tremendous.

Regulations regarding records retention are difficult to follow in an era when many "documents" are never actually printed in hard copy.

Who could deny that forcing the Medical Community to modernize was a good idea? It drives me crazy when I'm asked to fill out the same questionnaires over and over, year after year, when vising my doctors, and now finally they have the information electronically and I only have to review and confirm the information.

Government doesn't mess up everything, but most things it makes worse.

 

[AntonToo]

Who could deny that forcing the Medical Community to modernize was a good idea?

Umm out of touch with reality politicos?

 

[Skull]

Who could deny that forcing the Medical Community to modernize was a good idea?

Umm out of touch with reality politicos?

Why not get in touch with the reality of this doctor's experience by reading the link?

Here is one point he makes that I have noticed in my recent visits to my doctor:

"In the “olden days” patients and physicians talked face to face. Facial expression and body language provided additional cues to what the patient was really experiencing. And, patients felt that their doctors actually cared about them enough to look them in the eye while they were explaining a problem of concern.

With the “new and improved EHR,” however, the physician frequently turns his back on the patient and is focused on the computer, making sure to enter information in all of the fields so that payment can be secured. The physician may not even be listening to what the patient is saying because he is distracted by the requirements of the EHR.

Turning one’s back to a patient for the majority of an office visit is not only an insult to the patient, but it does not enhance patient care or patient safety."

 

[AntonToo]

Why not get in touch with the reality of this doctor's experience by reading the link?

Because I work specifically in healthcare information services, specifically with a number of medical record systems, specifically with doctors. Mmk?

 

[Skull]

Why not get in touch with the reality of this doctor's experience by reading the link?

Because I work specifically in healthcare information services, specifically with a number of medical record systems, specifically with doctors. Mmk?

So the doctor's experience cannot possibly contradict your knowledge of the systems' affects on said doctor?

Talk about staying out of touch!

 

[AntonToo]

Why not get in touch with the reality of this doctor's experience by reading the link?

Because I work specifically in healthcare information services, specifically with a number of medical record systems, specifically with doctors. Mmk?

So the doctor's experience cannot possibly contradict your knowledge of the systems' affects on said doctor?

Talk about staying out of touch!

There is nothing in this doctor's experience to warrant stupid, ridiculous, proposition that Electronic Medical Records is a bad idea.

 

[Skull]

Why not get in touch with the reality of this doctor's experience by reading the link?

Because I work specifically in healthcare information services, specifically with a number of medical record systems, specifically with doctors. Mmk?

So the doctor's experience cannot possibly contradict your knowledge of the systems' affects on said doctor?

Talk about staying out of touch!

There is nothing in this doctor's experience to warrant stupid, ridiculous, proposition that Electronic Medical Records is a bad idea.

Neither Dr Huntoon, nor I wrote they were a 'bad idea'. I wrote they were not 'such a good idea'.

The conclusion of Dr Huntoon:

Conclusion

"EHRs, which promised the benefit of better patient care, increased patient safety, and increased efficiency, have failed miserably and have harmed patients and physicians alike. Billions of dollars have been spent on encouraging physicians to adopt a system that works poorly and degrades the practice of medicine to the extent that the doctor literally turns his back on his patients so as to better serve the EHR.

To make matters worse, the government now wants the EHR incentive money back from many physicians who took the bait. Given the harm EHRs have done to people, perhaps citizens should demand that government return tax money to them for the government-subsidized EHR debacle."

 

[AntonToo]

Neither Dr Huntoon, nor I wrote they were a 'bad idea'. I wrote they were not 'such a good idea'.

Well let me correct both of you, Electronic Medical Records are a GREAT idea that saves money, administrative headaches, and improves patient care quality and convenience.

Now that is not to say that particular implementations or policies cannot be problematic. They can, but to expand that to say that the concept of electronic records is fatally flawed is straight CRAZY.

 

[AntonToo]

Here is one point he makes that I have noticed in my recent visits to my doctor:

"In the “olden days” patients and physicians talked face to face. Facial expression and body language provided additional cues to what the patient was really experiencing. And, patients felt that their doctors actually cared about them enough to look them in the eye while they were explaining a problem of concern.

With the “new and improved EHR,” however, the physician frequently turns his back on the patient and is focused on the computer, making sure to enter information in all of the fields so that payment can be secured. The physician may not even be listening to what the patient is saying because he is distracted by the requirements of the EHR.

Turning one’s back to a patient for the majority of an office visit is not only an insult to the patient, but it does not enhance patient care or patient safety."

I've been to physician a number of times in the past year, who happens to run a technologically forward practice. At no point did I see him doing anything except directly conversing with me.

Why? Because he did what doctor does and had someone else fill out the forms.

Makes sense - right?

So you can have a bad workflow with electronic records or a good one.

 

[Skull]

Both in the case of myself and my wife, our Kaiser doctors will look at us, briefly, then back to the screen.

In any case, Dr Huntoon gives specific criticisms of the system. If you think they are valid, then you, being on the inside, might consider working to fix them. If you think all is nearly perfect, then carry on.

 

[AntonToo]

In any case, Dr Huntoon gives specific criticisms of the system. If you think they are valid, then you, being on the inside, might consider working to fix them. If you think all is nearly perfect, then carry on.

Yes past the ridiculous headlines he gives specifics...specifics that he tailors to his ridiculous, clearly techno-phobe predisposition:

For example this specific:

I once asked a medical resident to tell me the diagnosis of a severely debilitated patient who had been in an intensive care setting for months. After about five to ten minutes of playing with the computer, the resident could not provide the patient’s diagnosis. He had been treating a critically ill patient in the ICU for his entire rotation yet did not know the patient’s actual diagnosis. EHR clearly did not improve quality of care or patient safety in that situation.

This anecdote is his proof that electronic records do not improve patient care, while in reality there is nothing about electronic system that prevents admitting diagnosis to be readily available. It is not an issue in any of the EMRs I've ever dealt with.

 

[Greenbeard]

Turning one’s back to a patient for the majority of an office visit is not only an insult to the patient, but it does not enhance patient care or patient safety.

Might want to invest in an iPad then.