Electronic Medical Record Perspectives Grow
June 27th, 2008 by Jon Mertz
Posted in EMR
There is an interesting blog post in BNET entitled Electronic Medical Records: Bad for Health? The discussion around EMRs is fascinating. There are many differing perspectives on various topics: privacy, interoperability, usability, acceptance, failure, etc.
This article consolidates some of the recent negative articles or perspectives on EMRs, including:
- Privacy - exposing patient data to outsiders.
- Savings - insurers gain more than physicians
- Copy-and-paste - copying notes from one patient record to another, because it helps with billing
- Too much information - no human selection of relevant information
- Physician insensitivity - “Dr. Computer”
- “Cookie-cutter” medicine - just using the template
These points may be valid, but is the status quo better? Continuing with a paper-based system does not seem to be the better answer. Having the right sense of responsibility to deliver the right approach in using EMRs seems to address many of the potential issues.
Last 5 posts by Jon Mertz
- Corepoint Health - The Next Generation of NeoTool - April 21st, 2009
- The Role of IT in Building the Practice - January 8th, 2009
- Read Healthcare Predictions for 2009 - January 8th, 2009
- Insights - Outpatient Imaging Center CIO - October 17th, 2008
- The Road to EMR Interoperability - October 16th, 2008
Please note: NeoTool is now Corepoint Health! Please visit our new Corepoint Health IT Blog for recent insights. Also visit our new HL7 Resources section for additional information.

it’s now the time to make a change!
EMR is going to be the way of the future, by Congress, but being certified doesn’t mean it is a Good product for your practice. I have seen pt medical notes on the wrong patients. Copying and paste will be come a practice of MD’s in the future because they will not take the time out to do the notes efficently as the should. EMR takes time away from pt care and puts MD’s behind the computer more than they should be, if they want to get paid correctly. Templates is not the answer here at all, click, click, click. Presto change-O.
I have seen pt medical notes on the wrong patients. Copying and paste will become a practice of MD’s in the future because they will not take the time out to do the notes efficently as the should. EMR takes time away from pt care and puts MD’s behind the computer more than they should be, if they want to get paid correctly. Templates is not the answer here at all, click, click, click. Presto change-O.