[Med-privacy] EMRs

[peter marshall]

PHYSICIAN, UPGRADE THYSELF
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Thomas Goetz]

[Commentary] Go into almost any medical office, hospital or clinic in=20
the United States and your records will still be handled the=20
old-fashioned way =97 on paper. You can use a computer to pay your =
taxes,=20
to program your TiVo or to read a message from your great-aunt, but=20
your doctor has to practically level a forest just to examine your=20
medical files. The cost, however, isn=92t calculated in trees but in=20
human lives: Electronic medical records would reduce the risk of=20
medical errors and spare hospitals the expense of missing records and=20
unnecessary treatment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/opinion/30goetz.html
(requires registration)=