Electronic medical record systems are utilized by hospitals, insurance companies and other medical institutions to manage patient information. An electronic health record (EHR), or electronic medical record (EMR), is just as it sounds: instead of information stored on a paper ?chart,? all pertinent information is stored electronically. A comprehensive EMR system allows for easy storage, sharing, and retrieval of information, patient billing, and other elements that integrate into the patient management process.



Proponents for universal adoption of electronic medical records have been working diligently for years and it is hoped President-elect Obama will work with Congress to make this a priority in 2009. President-elect Obama recently announced goals for his administration in this arena, offering the same justification for the transition that advocates have been touting for years. In a speech on January 8th, Obama stated, "To improve the quality of our health care while lowering its cost, we will make the immediate investments necessary to ensure that, within five years, all of America's medical records are computerized. This will cut waste, eliminate red tape and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests. But it just won't save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs; it will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health-care system.?

Obama is not the first president to support EMRs, in 2004, President Bush outlined a plan to ensure that most Americans would have electronic health records within the next 10 years . A recent study by the National Center for Health Statistics showed that 38% of physicians are using some type of full or partial EMR system. But, some statistics show that number to be only 17%. While progress has been made, we have a long way to go to meet the goal.

There are a few known challenges that are currently preventing adoption. The first is a fear of lost productivity during a transition. Implementation and training all take time. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil, and not much can be done to prevent it. It's understood that once implemented, productivity will in fact increase, but many are still afraid to take that first step. As the percentage of those using EMR systems increases, this fear will decrease.

The second challenge is cost. Success stories have shown that the implementation of EMR systems saves both time and money, but there still must be an up front investment. For large institutions with equally large budgets, financing such a system may not be a challenge, and many large institutions have already made the transition. On the other hand, smaller offices may find it more difficult to find funding. There is hope on the horizon. No longer geared solely toward large institutions, EHR systems are being developed to meet the custom needs of smaller practices. e-MDs, based in Austin, TX, offers Solution Series?, an integrated clinical and practice management software system. They are one of the few companies who offer affordable, advanced, and comprehensive technology to the segment of the health care industry that can benefit the most?practices of six of fewer practitioners. Adoption is easier on a smaller scale and hopefully these smaller practices can provide a model for others.

The barriers to adoption are slowly dissipating, and with Obama now making a public push towards universal adoption, maybe Bush's original goal can be fulfilled. Perhaps the difference this time around will be the amount of funding that will be focused on this agenda. At this time, what portion of Obama's proposed $50 billion dollar health care reform plan will be allocated to this objective is unknown, but one thing is clear: The time is now.