Electronic Health Records (EHR, EMR)

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.  

Part of the Helping Hospitals Improve patient Care Act, the amendment also exempts ambulatory surgical centers from MIPS through 2017 and 2018.

Struggling with long wait times, the Veterans Affairs Health Care System is trying something new: a partnership with the CVS Pharmacy chain to offer urgent care services to more than 65,000 veterans.

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Delbanco also predicts that patients will stop using electronic health records or portals to read what doctors have written about them and, instead, view that on a smartwatch, phone or other gadget.