How To Fix The EHR

A continuation of the article I started yesterday, with a list of features needed to fix the Electronic Health Record in the United States. To summarize, the EHR is a tool that could drastically improve healthcare delivery but in its current form is a dangerous embarrassment. Here is another suggestion.

Interoperability. It is amazing to me that in 2019 I can craft a beautiful, detailed note on a complex patient of mine who I need to refer to another specialist, only to then crank up a wheezy fax machine so I can deliver this information. Typically when you ask the question “why” the answer is money, and no doubt this also explains why all EHRs live in their own silo, unable to crossover and communicate with other EHRs. Isn’t the whole point better communication, better distribution of a medical record to create more informed care, and prevent test duplication, etc? This needs to be mandated going forward, as it only seems to be the way to get the EHR companies to make this a reality. I refuse to believe this can not be done, and it is shameful that it has perpetuated for so long.