David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. was director of the Institute for Health Policy, Massachusetts General Hospital–Partners Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School — both in Boston. He has been named National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
His NEJM article "Stimulating the Adoption of Health Information Technology" is well worth reading...
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/360/15/1477
I am convinced that one of the pillars of any meaningful healthcare reform will be the widespread adoption of electronic health records. But of primary importance will be interoperability between disparate health systems, along with portability and patient control of information access.
ReplyDeleteI see an evolution from the current crop of EMR's into a more unified EHR system, eventually developing into a true PHR. We have a long way to go, but these first steps are critical.
Brian, I agree with your comments about evolution but one should not forget the medico-legal role that clinical records play for each practitioner. There will be a single unified PHR but that will always be fed by other sources - specifically EMR's which serve as the definitive medico-legal record for the physicians serving the patient.
ReplyDeleteGood point Brendyn. The PHR will need to fed by the EMR...
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