A fundamental part of Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems is the ability to share data with other, outside sources. Besides simply capturing in-office work – chart notes, prescription writing, scheduling, and the like – an EHR should connect with the “outside world.” This is the...

Recently, we suggested that innovative business models can drive vendors to produce breakthroughs in EMR usability. We subsequently argued that market forces are more efficient than regulation as a means to assure rapid dissemination of usable EMRs. If the market is to work its magic...

The question of Certification of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) has caused confusion among many physicians, clinics and hospitals. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), a new approach to certification came into play, which replaced the legacy method.

Getting Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems to “talk” to each other has been one of the goals of the emerging national Health IT policy. Several of the Meaningful Use criteria for doctors and hospitals, as well as HHS Certification criteria for EHR vendors, are based...

“Closing the loop” is an important concept in coordination of health care, which refers to good communication between referring physicians and those clinicians who receive the referrals. Much needless healthcare cost results from a poorly coordinated and fragmented healthcare delivery system, where duplication of testing...