Is the EHR a provider?
A chief medical officer at a large academic healthcare institution recently suggested that we reframe our thinking about the electronic health record (EHR). They said, “The EHR is more than a tool. It independently guides and directs care. As we look to the future, EHRs will increasingly determine patient care without supervision.”
Why we do what we do
With my clinical informatics hat on, I spend my time working with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals trying to get the best results from advanced technology for patients and those who care for them. This often entails configuring order sets, documentation templates, and clinical decision support tools, all while trying to find the sweet […]
Everything old is new again
There are many ways to describe the concept that humans seem to be reliving the same problems with the same bad solutions over and over. Jonathan Swift (or maybe it was Winston Churchill or perhaps Mark Twain) said that “everything old is new again.” Writer and philosopher George Santayana wrote that “those who cannot remember […]
Decentralized care: The changing healthcare ecosystem
The hospital facility is no longer the center of the healthcare universe. This trend was already in motion, and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated it.
The new healthcare ecosystem: Preparing for decentralized care
“Health systems do an amazing job of returning you to health. However, healthcare is shifting focus to a more personalized, preventive, and holistic view of health. No one else is as well-positioned to deliver on the promise of better lifelong health than health systems, but doing so will require them to invest in those kinds […]
Patient empowerment starts with control of their own data
One of the most challenging questions to ask right now is, “Are you vaccinated?” Public Trust in Government has been in decline for decades and “vaccine passports” to demonstrate proof of COVID-19 vaccination face vocal opposition from state legislatures, the ACLU, and the EFF. Businesses and healthcare providers alike are left wondering what tools are […]
Must EHRs become platforms?
I recently read a thought-provoking Forbes article arguing that the market-leading electronic health records (EHRs) of today could not possibly remain as we know them in the future. The author posited that government interoperability regulations and information blocking rules will force open the walled garden that some large vendors have created. He argues that all […]
Polishing your portal to empower patients
Many industries have made strategic investments in tools that provide their consumers with increased access, control, and convenience. Technology, travel, entertainment, and banking are examples of industries working diligently to provide the best possible experience. As a result, consumers have become accustomed to a certain level of accessibility and convenience.
Spelunking through the medical chart
Earlier this month, I had the privilege (honor? Thrill?) to attend the in-person annual physician IT leadership meeting organized by AMDIS. If you’re not aware of the group, the Association of Medical Directors of Information Services has traditionally been composed of CMIOs and now CHIOs, with a sprinkle of physicians who are CIOs thrown it. […]
Primary care is an essential part of a usable healthcare system
Last month, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published Implementing High Quality Primary Care: Rebuilding the Foundation of Health Care. This is an update of their 1996 report Primary Care: America’s Health in a New Era. (Both of these can be downloaded with a free account from the National Academies Press.) In this new book, the researchers acknowledge that […]