Electronic Patient Data: The Future e-Wave Comes Crashing Down

Four quick, current looks at patient information: Need, Care, Exploitation, and Change 

NEED

Now that hospitals and offices are getting on the EHR bandwagon and they are discovering the pearls, perils, and pitfalls of it, it is coming to light that physicians aren’t the only people who need to be educated about electronic health records and using them. According to a new study by PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP) and some general “noticing” of things, it is being discovered that patients aren’t quite on the e-records band wagon yet either. PwC surveyed 1000 consumers and found that only 14% of them had gotten their records electronically from their physician (I didn’t see a note that indicated any connection between desiring to get their records electronically, and being able to get them because of the office not being able to issue it.) Setting aside that potential problem- 14% get e-record, 30% said they don’t know why they would ever need them, and 50% requested paper records. When consumers were asked how they would like to interact with their doctors electronically the top three answers were to: follow-up from their doctors, make appointments, learn about treatment information.

EHR- Got one?

Dr. Blumenthal Discusses Registration for EHR Incentive Programs (video +)

In the Blumenthal video above, he gave some statistics:

• About 80% of the hospitals plan to implement EHRs and work on complying with the stimulus fund program over the next two years.
• 40% of private practice physicians plan on doing the same, and 80% of them plan on implementing and working their EHR over the next two years.
• 18% of private practice physicians said they will not participate at all.

We know that the magic stimulus dollar amount an individual physician can get over the five years is $44,000. I was also reading that hospitals can get reimbursements and aid of up to $2 million.

Reschedule for Give your Practice the Raise it Deserves

Due to general concern about the massive incoming storm tomorrow's (Wednesday, 2/1/11) seminar has been rescheduled to next Wednesday (2/9/11).  If you were already signed up, you have been called, if you couldn't make it this week then by all means- Sign Up for next week!

To tide you over until then I will give you my other favorite Karen quote from last week and a prized audit tip-