EHRs Still Challenging Providers
The rapidly expanding world of EHRs is presenting new opportunities for many, but not without a significant degree of challenges as well.
The widespread expansion of electronic health records (EHRs) has created many new possibilities for the healthcare market, along with many obstacles to overcome along the way. Some of the challenges currently being faced can be classified as user, system, financial, legal, or policy related – or a combination of these.
Physicians are finding more responsibility placed on their shoulders to stay current on the status of each of their patients. In the past, an outpatient procedure or Emergency Department visit warranted a faxed report to the family physician to notify them that patient was treated and to monitor any results from testing.
With the increased use of EHRs, HIT Consultant reports community physician must keep track of all outpatient procedures or Emergency Department visits that involve their patients independently. This method is referred to as “pull” as opposed to the traditional “push” method and has posed many problems for physicians.
Another challenge facing physicians is the pressure to meet the required 18 of 22 objectives related to Stage 2 Meaningful Use. According to Steve Smith, the retiring administrator of Fort Wayne Neurological Center, meeting these advanced capabilities outlined in the CMS objectives have reportedly slowed physicians down, as reported by FortWayne.com. Smith notes this compliance is fundamental for improved patient care and also necessary according to the CMS for issuance of payment or avoidance of fines.
Another hurdle facing providers is the explosion of both the mobile health and healthcare IT markets. This growth will dictate necessary policy changes, and legal implications could make it more difficult to trouble shoot potentially harmful problems with EHR and mobile apps.
And providers shouldn’t expect any help with that. A Government Health IT article, reports, “EHR and app developers might want to reveal mistakes in their systems that have caused harm, or have nearly caused harm, but it will probably be a cold day in heck before their lawyers will agree to that.”