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| Themes |
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The healthcare industry can no longer view Electronic Health Records merely as a means of achieving better efficiency. Rather, EHRs must be viewed as a means of achieving the true mission of health care: the EHR must help to coordinate patient care and present data in a format that promotes the highest quality of health care.
Over 300,000 Americans suffer serious complications from medical errors each year. The Bush Administration and Congress have identified Electronic Health Records as necessary to minimize these errors. Indeed, the Bush Administration has set a goal to institute EHRs in every physician’s office within 10 years.
Of the nearly 800,000 physicians in the U.S., 80% are in small private practices (less than 8 physicians). Only 20% currently use a computer in their office. Most existing software solutions are designed for large healthcare entities, and most were derived from billing packages, rather than designed specifically for the care of the patient. Furthermore, the cost of health care in the U.S. is escalating at an unsustainable rate. To avoid rationing, we must decrease the need for expensive treatments and long term care. To accomplish this requires implementing preventative care and national standards of care (“evidenced based medicine”), beginning where most American's receive care: the small private practice. In addition, there is the need to identify patients who would benefit from research protocols or new medications, and to communicate health (disease) data to public health agencies. Decreases in reimbursement and the rising cost of practice (e.g. malpractice insurance) mandate an inexpensive means of providing electronic health records to these small practices. HIPAA regulations also mandate security, and the Federal mandate for the electronic exchange of medical information requires reliable, encrypted transfer of information. Recognizing the needs of healthcare providers and recipients in such a climate, the DrKnow™ EHR has been structured along several critical themes:
The program addresses each of these in myriad ways. To learn more, follow the links on the main toolbar under "Themes." |
