Tag: electronic health records

computer and stethoscope

Closing the Electronic Health Record Usability Gap

The Petrie-Flom Center Staff Leave a comment

By Raj M. Ratwani, PhD, Christine A. Sinsky, MD, and Edward R. Melnick, MD, MHS

Two recent studies on the usability of electronic health records (EHRs) use the same standardized metric report, but come to very different conclusions.

One study, using data generated by vendors, found satisfaction to exceed the average benchmark for products across industries (a “C” grade), while the other study, using data from a representative sample of practicing physicians, reports satisfaction as failing (a “F” grade). In this piece, we explore the likely reasons for this discrepancy and propose a path forward.

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stethoscope on computer keyboard

How Traditional Health Records Bolster Structural Racism

Adrian Gropper Leave a comment

By Adrian Gropper, MD

As the U.S. reckons with centuries of structural racism, an important step toward making health care more equitable will require transferring control of health records to patients and patient groups.

The Black Lives Matter movement calls upon us to review racism in all aspects of social policy, from law enforcement to health. Statistics show that Black Americans are at higher risk of dying from COVID-19. The reasons for these disparities are not entirely clear. Every obstacle to data collection makes it that much harder to find a rational solution, thereby increasing the death toll.

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ONC’s Proposed Rule is a Breakthrough in Patient Empowerment

Adrian Gropper 5 Comments

By Adrian Gropper

Imagine solving wicked problems of patient matching, consent, and a patient-centered longitudinal health record while also enabling a world of new healthcare services for patients and physicians to use. The long-awaited Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on information blocking from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) promises nothing less. 

Having data automatically follow the patient is a laudable goal but difficult for reasons of privacy, security, and institutional workflow. The privacy issues are clear if you use surveillance as the mechanism to follow the patient. Do patients know they’re under surveillance? By whom? Is there one surveillance agency or are there dozens in real-world practice? Can a patient choose who does the surveillance and which health encounters, including behavioral health, social relationships, location, and finance are excluded from the surveillance? Read More