Medicine: Medical Records Get Digital

Good article on "who's going to pay" ..everybody agrees we need electronic records, but hospitals and physicians need some help and assistance with the dollars...as well as training...the systems are no good without adequate training too. BD

Aug. 16, 2007 - At first, Dr. Glen Landesman feared the electronic record system he and his two partners installed in their New Jersey family practice. While his computer-savvy colleagues eagerly anticipated eliminating bulky paper records, Landesman worried that his ability to care for patients would suffer as he struggled

A doctor at a hospital near Seattle checks an X-ray on a tablet PC
with the new technology. "I am not a computer person at all," he says. "So I was very resistant." Five years later, Landesman has been won over. With the electronic system, new prescriptions are automatically checked against existing ones for adverse interactionsand then sent directly to the pharmacy. Doctors and patients receive regular reminders about screenings and vaccinations. And in the long run, the practice will save money. "We improved in both efficiency and quality, and we're adding to our bottom line." says Landesman.

Everyone agrees that small hospitals and medical practices do need help to join the digital world, but there's no consensus on who should pay the bill.