Are you looking for some insight into the dangers of medical EMR software? Look no further. The Happy Hospitalist is living that existence. I'm seeing this more and more as transferring hospitals implement their own medical EMR software initiatives. As everything heads to the world of computerized documentation, the land of paper and pencil medicine is quickly disappearing. That can be a good thing. Better computerization of records leads to better ability to find the information when it's needed most.
Except when the transferring emergency room doesn't have the common courtesy or decency towards their accepting facility or the doctors and nurses when they hand them a critically ill patient without a single documented written word of importance. Perhaps I need to teach them how to write a progress note. It's sad, really. We invest millions of dollars in health care technology to hopefully make caring for you better and safer. And then we have doctors who turn around and do this to you, the patient. If you're going to take the time to document a patient's pertinent history in your fancy medical EMR software program your hospital bought to get their federal dollars, at least have the courtesty to send that documentation with the patient so the people on the receiving end of your stabilization efforts have the knowledge of your thoughts and efforts in their hand.
Except when the transferring emergency room doesn't have the common courtesy or decency towards their accepting facility or the doctors and nurses when they hand them a critically ill patient without a single documented written word of importance. Perhaps I need to teach them how to write a progress note. It's sad, really. We invest millions of dollars in health care technology to hopefully make caring for you better and safer. And then we have doctors who turn around and do this to you, the patient. If you're going to take the time to document a patient's pertinent history in your fancy medical EMR software program your hospital bought to get their federal dollars, at least have the courtesty to send that documentation with the patient so the people on the receiving end of your stabilization efforts have the knowledge of your thoughts and efforts in their hand.
My commentary is justified. This transfer record indicates a worthless piece of paper. Why send it all all if all it's going to say is that all the documentation is tucked neatly away in your easy to access medical EMR software database? What purpose does it serve? Don't answer that. I know the answer. Your documentation is for your billing purposes. It's not there to help other physicians understand your thought processes so you can help the patient. Been there. Done that.
For all the great things medical EMR software can do, we will always risk having it fail us when common sense has left the building. For the doctors at this ER, common sense has left the building. That's too bad. I'll make sure I don't get sick in that neck of the woods. If you're thinking about getting your own EMR for your medical practice, I have teamed up with the folks at Software Advice to help find what you're looking for. And for God's sake, if you do get one, don't be this guy. It's just not cool for the rest of us.This EHR someecard helps to explain.
