
Despite years of effort to replace paper patient charts and physician orders with electronic records, most doctors and many hospitals remain behind the digital curve. The stumbling blocks are money and uncertainty about who will profit the most in the long run from the technological leap.
The $4 billion system that Kaiser Permanente finished rolling out this year for its 8.7 million members in nine states stands as an exception.
It will be interesting to take a look back at HealthConnect a few years down the road. If the savings can truly cover/exceed the costs, there would be one less argument against these improvements to health care IT. Anything that will reduce the occurrences of medical errors, improve quality, and increase the face time patients get with their physicians and nurses will be a welcome step toward reforming the American health care system. www.yourvoicenewvision.org
You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |