

The Delayed Promise of Health-Care IT - soneca
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/the-delayed-promise-of-health-care-it-by-art-kellermann-and-spencer-jones

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RougeFemme
This article highlights issues with almost any type of system, not just
healthcare IT systems: interoperability, usability, implementation. . .I have
a friend who is on a team that designs and implements electronic health record
(EHR)systems. She says the problems are many: cultural (especially when
hospitals and practices with different practices have been merged), users who
can't and/or won't participate early in the requirements development phase,
surgeons/demi-gods who don't believe they _need_ EHR systems. . .And I
recently read of a doctor who said that one of the biggest improvements to the
system in _her_ hospital would be to remove the "cut-and-paste" functionality.
She sees entries that are clearly incorrect - and often impossible - and are
obviously the result of "cut-and-paste" run amok.

Nonetheless, I think we do need these systems. They may not save that much
money, but should result in better patient outcomes. We just need to design
and implement them better. I know - obviously easier said than done.

