News 2/10/11

Outgoing ONC head Dr. David Blumenthal takes issue with a recent study that concluded EHRs don’t significantly improve patient care. Blumenthal believes the study was flawed and technology has improved since the data was collected (2005 to 2007.) Blumenthal concludes:

There are plenty of strong studies that justify what we are doing [and] there are plenty of physicians who are using electronic health records who will never go back to paper.”I have used an electronic health record, I saw the value in my own practice, and beyond that the idea that in 21st century America we will withhold from patients the benefit of electronic systems when the rest of the world is zooming ahead with ever more powerful uses of information for the rest of their lives strikes me as inconceivable and also irresponsible.

Placer County (CA) Board of Supervisors approves the purchase of Epic EMR for its four community health clinics. Placer County Health and Human Service was awarded $115,000 in federal funding; this will be added to the county’s $28,000 contribution. Sounds pretty inexpensive, especially for Epic. The director of the clinics suggests that Epic was their pick since it is already in place at many area hospitals and clinics.

McKesson says it is working with over 25 RECs and is now offers a customized certification program to educate RECs on how to implement and optimize McKesson solutions.

Praxis donates supplies and equipments to The Villages Charter School, a high school in Florida that offers a Health Academy for students. The school is equipped with a health sciences classroom that includes a simulated clinic and working computer workstations running Praxis EMR. Donated gifts include a portable oximeter, clipboards, and lanyards.

The AMA develops a survey that  invites physicians to provide input on federal rules and regulations impacting medical practices. Specifically, the AMA wants to identify tasks that are considered burdensome without providing positive benefits.

Speaking of surveys, HIStalk Practice has developed one of its own. Would you do Mr. H and me a favor and take a minute to complete our annual reader survey? Your input gives us great ideas and helps us make the site better. Thanks.

Americans are less concerned with the safety of their medical records than they are with personal contact information, according to a new Harris Interactive Poll. People are more fearful that internal negligence will result in medical record exposure, than hacking into a computer; 14% have no concerns about the security of their medical records. The information security firm that sponsored the survey obviously thinks everyone should worry.

E-mail Inga.