It is an understatement to say that the health care industry is rapidly undergoing a paradigm shift in regard to the role that computing technology plays. The health care industry has always aggressively developed and employed new technology. However, one vital area that has been missing... until now... has been the ability to automate the collection, security, analysis, and sharing of point-of-care (patient) data.
Hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and physician practices have long used a paper based records system for documenting patient data. It is a testament to how long and how well this protocol has served both providers and patients alike. Paper records are easy to implement and cost effective, yet they are error prone and inhibit real time sharing of valuable data. Collected data is largely locked up in discrete "silos". Sharing of that data among the patient's providers, labs, other entities, and even the patients themselves is difficult due to the medium itself.
Everyone is keenly aware that health care costs have been dramatically rising year-over-year. The seemingly endless escalation in cost has sparked hot debate among citizens and politicians on how to reign in - or even reduce - those costs. Despite years of effort at reform, no serious solutions have yet born fruit. However, the recent economic meltdown put a laser sharp focus on the issue and it appears that some progress is now being made.
Just about everyone involved will agree that cost reduction can be achieved by increasing the efficiency with which data is collected, analyzed, and shared. There is a strong need to break down data "silos" so that patients and their providers can share the same data, eliminate redundancy, and thus increase quality of care and the efficiency with which it is delivered. This in turn is expected to ultimately reduce costs in the long run. Bulk analysis of de-personalized data will allow medical professionals, scientists, and academics to identify trends, root causes, and treatment efficacy that should improve quality of care outcomes while reducing costs.
A major, and seemingly obvious, solution to the problem has led the health care industry to focus on developing software and computing systems to help automate the collection, analysis, and sharing of patient data. These systems create digitized data files called Electronic Medical Records (EMR) that will dramatically help automate the flow of data throughout the entire industry. Note that an Electronic Health Record (EHR) is distinct from an EMR because it contains multiple EMRs from all provider encounters with a particular patient.
We now have a classic paradigm shift in the making: A strong impetus to reduce health care costs coupled with the desire to improve quality and continuity of care are driving the rapid need to develop and implement IT systems that support EHR system adoption and use.
Or, rather a large one... which is the cost and complexity of making such a massive transition from a paper based records system to an electronic one. This is the 800 pound Gorilla in the room. At a time when the economy is in such shambles - physicians are continuing to see their costs go up, their revenues decline, regulatory and legal pressures continue to escalate - and the list goes on. How can medical professionals be called upon to spend an extraordinary sum in terms of time and money on making this transition? Especially, when the benefits appear to be so long term.
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