By Amanda Patanow on
9/21/2009
The first commercial EHR applications started to appear on the scene in the early 1990's. Fast forward to 2004, when then President Bush declared in his State of the Union address that electronic health records (EHR) would be universally implemented by 2014, and established by Executive Order the position of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to start the ball rolling. Four years later President Obama helped to put teeth into that plan through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, by providing $17 billion in direct incentives to physicians to adopt the technology, and basically maintaining the same time frame as his predecessor. So, why now? One reason: the technology is finally ready.
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By Amanda Patanow on
9/20/2009
A key strategy for successfully rolling out an electronic health record at a group practice is providing custom training for users with different technology skills and personalities, the CEO of a practice with 235 physicians says.
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By Amanda Patanow on
9/16/2009
When Dr. Edward Kallins retired to Bradenton 25 years ago, he knew his profession was drastically changing. He believes reform in how the system delivers health care is overdue.
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By Amanda Patanow on
9/14/2009
A commentary published in the September 9 issue of JAMA offers 8 recommendations to ensure that electronic health records (EHRs) are used safely and effectively by key stakeholders who are either involved in their use now or who will be involved in the near future, in accordance with a federal initiative to expand EHR use.
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By Amanda Patanow on
9/8/2009
When it comes to electronic health records, functionality has had its time in the spotlight. Now, the buzz term is usability.
What's the difference? Functionality is what a system does. Usability is how easily you and your staff can operate the system.
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By Amanda Patanow on
9/8/2009
As federal officials strive to define "meaningful use" of electronic health records, Sam Lederman, M.D., offers a simple prescription. "Meaningful use means it somehow will improve patient care," says the managing partner of Palm Beach Obstetrics & Gynecology, a two-site group practice in Lake Worth, Fla.
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