There was a time when patient records were predominantly stored in paper. Trolleys trundling across the floor meant that the patient’s medical records had arrived. There was no way a patient could have access to their healthcare data. Digitizing medical information seemed to be the perfect answer.
Throw in templates for filling in information, secure encrypted systems and easy access to data, EMRs were hoped to be just what the doctor ordered.
And it all went wrong…
A recent study by the RAND Corporation and AMA revealed that 18% of physicians wanted to go back to paper records. The major reason why physicians hate their EMRs is because of heavy bureaucratic intervention. Many physicians feel they are left out of the equation and are just an afterthought in the entire process.
Dysfunctional workflows and data entry tasks were not what physicians signed up for !
Working, late into the evening filling out data, hiring additional staff or speaking to patients while typing into a computer, were never a part of the deal! Transmitting data between systems still remains an unfulfilled dream. Most EMR systems are highly proprietary and hardly interoperable.
Graphic user interfaces that are complex and templates that make data entry tedious indicate a clear mismatch of how physicians work and the way EMRs are programmed. Overload of information and annoying pop ups slow down workflow.
It isn’t all bleak !
Despite all the complaints leveled at EMRs they have managed to take patient data out of the doctor’s cabinet. This means patients have better access to their medical information. Electronic medical records have also made lost information a blurred memory. Tracking patient disease markers and guideline based care have resulted in better patient care. Messaging apps of EHRs and patient friendly patient portals are some reasons why EMRs should exist.
What are the challenges faced by EMR/EHR vendors ?
Everybody is busy discussing about the challenges faced by physicians. But wait a minute; there is another important person who completes the doctor, patient, trinity. EHR/EMR vendors… Ryan Howard the CEO of one of the leading EHR systems, Practice Fusion, made some interesting observations in a recent television interview.
He cited time and cash constraints as one of the major roadblocks preventing doctors from digitizing their records. The fact that most doctors are not online makes it difficult for EMR vendors to reach out to them, he pointed out.
Physicians should be more vocal !
Though there are voices of dissent, there has to be widespread mobilization and physicians need to be more vocal about their needs. The technology is improving. Constant revisions are making the systems more user friendly. EMRs and EHRs are certainly changing for the better. The need of the hour is that physicians should stop being silent bystanders and be an active part of the change.
