The ACA’s efforts to ensure ‘mesningful use’ of EHRs are creating backlash from practitioners and other healthcare players. Costs, operational issues, security, are among the problems often cited- these were reviewed in a May 29th article on FierceEMR (“Should more be done to make docs happier with EHR’s?”).
I posted comments emphasizing EHRs are a positive driver tor the healthcare sector, and shared a vision on what predictive analytics solutions are coming to improve healthcare quality and lower costs. EHR’s provide the foundation to help make this happen.
Here is an excerpt from my comments …
No question the EHR transition is creating challenges and physicians are on the front line here.But EHRs do provide the foundation to dramatically reshape today’s healthcare system and this is not an
overstatement. Take a step back here and look at the facts and what lies ahead
First our healthcare system is broken-most of us know the numbers, e.g., healthcare costs at 18 percent of GDP, etc. And we also see multiple studies showing the quality of U.S. healthcare lags behind most nations. I just reviewed the Social Progress Index report, created by a team led by Harvard Business School’s Professor Michael E. Porter- the report ranked 132 countries using 50 indicators. In the Health and Wellness category the United States ranks poorly at 70th, behind Mali (69th), and Nepal (68th), but, small consolation, ahead of Kuwait (71st).
Keep that in mind the next time you hear a pundit say “…our healthcare system works just fine and we don’t need to change it.” These studies are based on metrics and data analysis, not hype or talking points.
The ACA through the three stage meaningful use process is driving EHR adoption. The Commonwealth Fund surveyed doctors in 10 countries in 2012 and… READ MORE AT http://www.fierceemr.com/story/should-more-be-done-make-docs-happier-ehrs/2014-05-29
Paul B. Silverman writes about entrepreneurship, healthcare, analytics, and strategy management and serves as Advisor, Speaker, Educator, and Managing Partner of the Gemini Business Group, LLC, a new venture development firm, and author of “8 Building Blocks To Launch, Manage, And Grow A Successful Business.” He also serves as Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at George Mason University. See more at Paul B. Silverman Blog and sign up for Entrepreneurship Today! email updates to track latest new venture developments.
