EHR

Executives said that implementing the electronic health record system will enable it to add dialysis, rehabilitation, outpatient and substance abuse services that help the hospital grow.

The new tool includes pricing and product limitation data to help make the process of selecting an electronic health record system less complex, according to National Coordinator Karen DeSalvo, MD. 

Leading up to the initial phase, slated to begin in the Pacific Northwest, the Defense Department is focusing on configuration more than customization, and program executive Stacy Cummings said that change management will be paramount.

There needs to be a better business case for sharing data because consumers expect it and HIPAA allows it, said National Coordinator Karen DeSalvo, MD. And Americans are growing increasingly impatient. 

Now that almost all U.S. hospital are using electronic health records, the industry is ready for the next phase of information sharing, improved outcomes and collecting the digital dividend.

Half of hospitals routinely use patient information received electronically from other providers, which National Coordinator Karen DeSalvo, MD said is an indication of how far the healthcare industry has come for both patients and clinicians.

Simplified regulations around MACRA meaningful use could address the loss of efficiency and usefulness of electronic health records software to enable more flexibility for the doctors using them, said Shawn Griffin, MD, of Memorial Hermann Physician Network.

With meaningful use winding down, Poulton urged other EHR makers to work on technologies that enable providers to be more effective in the changing world or healthcare. 

While EHR implementations can be disruptive, the hospital system implemented new clinical and revenue cycle software in January and is pointing to its strategy of engaging every employee in the electronic health records system deployment.

New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found mostly positive feedback from both doctors and patients, though there are still some clinicians who prefer to keep their notes from patients.