Capturing the vast amounts of data available in biomedical devices for inclusion in an electronic medical record has been described as the Holy Grail of connectivity, and one hospital system’s quest is nearly complete as it readies itself for the first of its two go-lives later this month.

Health information systems are being implemented fast and furiously, driven by the prospect of Meaningful Use incentives. However, a growing concern among industry watchers is that when the HITECH dust settles, the outcome may be less than ideal.

With the rush to implement health information technology, it’s no wonder that everyone in healthcare feels overwhelmed.  Change, even in a less manic environment than today’s, is difficult and while pushback from users is something to be expected, there are strategies that CIOs can use to effectively manage change. 1.  Take a walk in a
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In a world where all certified EMR systems may be equal in terms of functionality needed to get organizations to Stage 1 Meaningful use, usability may be the differentiator that separates the good from the mediocre.  But how do purchasers know if the systems they’re buying are “usable?” Robert Schumacher, Ph.D., managing director of User
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Not knowing what you don’t know can be a risky proposition for physicians who are taking their first tentative steps toward an EMR purchase. No one wants to invest money something that’s supposed to help their patient and their practice, but ends up being a drain on limited time and resources.  Here’s some advice about
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Immediately following the release of the proposed EHR Usability Protocol document by NIST, the Electronic Health Record Association (EHRA) took issue with the draft’s thesis that “poor usability is a primary barrier to adoption and meaningful use of EHR systems.”  EHRA’s response was that “the assertion that usability is a material barrier to adoption is
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Convincing rural healthcare providers to invest their time and money in EHR adoption has traditionally been an uphill battle. But that’s beginning to change, says the director of a Regional Extension Center that works closely with rural providers.

After overcoming his initial wariness about electronic health records, a Rhode Island physician became a staunch believer in the benefits of a digital office and recently was one of the first eligible providers in the country to attest to meeting Stage 1 Medicare Meaningful Use. “I drank the Kool-Aid,” admits Douglas Foreman, DO, a family
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Citing public concerns about the aggressive timing schedule for Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements, the HIT Policy Committee’s Meaningful Use Workgroup presented a set of alternatives for the Committee’s review at its April 13 meeting. They include: • Maintain current timeline and one-year reporting period; or • Maintain current timeline and permit 90-day reporting period
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An internist, whose solo practice has been paperless since 2006, leveraged his EMR to dramatically improve patient outcomes and create a more efficient and financially productive office environment. Edward Rippel, M.D., who owns Quinnipiac Internal Medicine in Hamden, CT, recently became the state’s first solo practitioner to achieve national recognition as a Level 3 Patient-Centered
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