The need for speed may have left truly meaningful use of electronic health records in the dust, says Larry Pawola, Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Health Informatics in a blog for The Information Daily. Currently available EHR systems lack efficiency and usability, and have prompted an overwhelming number of complaints from providers who aren’t seeing the benefits of EHR adoption they were promised by vendors and federal regulators alike.
EHRs simply don’t provide the advanced functionality necessary to keep up with the needs of providers facing increasing pressure to boost quality and efficiency in order to maintain their Medicare reimbursement rates, argues Pawola. “Many healthcare organizations, clinics and practices complain that recently implemented EHR systems are failing to increase patient care and safety, as well as streamline medical information because they are not functionally integrated into the specific environment in which they operate,” he writes. “While technologically speaking, they are state-of-the-art systems, the interface as well as advanced functions still needs finessing.”
“The need for specialty and the ability to be easily customized in EHR systems is a demand that, as of yet, is not being met,” he continues. “Part of the reason for this is the lack of qualified experts in the health informatics field to effectively modify healthcare policies and practices to fully utilize the functionality available in EHR systems, as well as the recognition that customized applications are necessary and not a luxury.”
The dissatisfaction with first and second generation EHRs has led to a mass exodus from legacy systems, with 92% of providers frustrated with “clunky” and “difficult to use” interfaces and nearly a quarter of practices considering replacing their EHRs soon. Data from CMS shows that nearly one in five providers are abandoning the EHR Incentive Programs despite the financial incentives and the threat of significant penalties if they don’t meet quality measures and a myriad of reporting initiatives designed to improve patient care.
The sudden rush to meet meaningful use and avoid payment adjustments meant that providers were scrambling just to get anything on their computers, and vendors were more than happy to oblige with products that might not have been fully baked. EHRs were not given the chance to integrate deeply enough into the health IT infrastructures, leaving gaps in provider workflows that have been filled with workarounds and potentially dangerous paper-EHR hybrids.
But as meaningful use enters its second stage, providers are getting a better idea of what they want in an EHR, and vendors are starting to get better at selling it. Cloud-based EHRs are skyrocketing in popularity as practices seek lower costs and greater flexibility, and health systems are exploring more robust uses for EHRs as analytics and population health management become more of a concern.
“As with all technology in general, EHRs will continue to evolve,” Pawola predicts. “New educational programs to expand the specialized knowledge necessary to create and implement highly functional and capable EHRs will help to decrease the gap between where these systems are today and where they can be tomorrow.” Source
