EMR/EHR

Electronic medical records (EMR) are a digital version of a patient’s chart that store their personal information, medical history and links to prior exams, texts and reports. The goal of these systems is to enable immediate access to the patient's data electronically, rather than needing to request paper file folders that might be stored in fragment files at numerous locations where a patient is seen or treated. EMRs (also called electronic health records, or EHR) improve clinician and health system efficiency by making all this data immediately available. This helps reduce repeat tests, repeat prescriptions and repeat imaging exams because reports, imaging or other patient data is not not immediately available. 

Texas health center selects Sage EHR

United Medical Centers, an eight-practice community health center in Eagle Pass, Texas, will implement Sage Healthcares Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition EHR and practice management software.

MGMA urges HHS to harmonize e-Rx programs

The e-prescribing incentive payment program payment adjustment process must be modified to avoid unfairly penalizing eligible providers, according to the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). In a March 16 letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the 22,500-member association also urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to harmonize this process with the EHR incentive program.

EHR certification update 3.18.11

CMIO.net presents a weekly update of the EHR products certified by the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ONC-ATCBs). The following EHR certifications were announced recently:

Black Book poll crowns top EHRs in 4 specialties

Market research firm Black Book Rankings conducted a four-month user poll to determine the highest ranked EHR/EMR organizations for radiology, pathology, oncology and cardiology in 2011. 

Radiology: Experts debate safety of x-ray scanning at U.S. airports

On March 11, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it would re-test 247 x-ray scanners in use at U.S. airports after maintenance checks indicated that the devices emitted radiation doses 10 times higher than expected. As the agency attempts to untangle the matter and a March 16 Congressional hearing focuses on the TSA and whole-body imaging, experts weighed in on the potential health risks posed by backscatter x-ray screening in the April issue of Radiology. 

Ga. provider signs Prognosis EHR

Georgia Hospital Health Services (GHHS), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Georgia Hospital Association, has signed an agreement with Prognosis Health Information Systems that will enable Georgia hospitals to implement Prognosis ChartAccess Comprehensive EHR.

Ark. REC selects Medical Informatics Engineering as preferred EHR

HITArkansas, the regional extension center (REC) for Arkansas, has selected Medical Informatics Engineering (MIE) as a preferred EHR vendor.

Canadian rad investigation expands to 4 rads

The Vancouver Island Health Authority review of the quality of CT scans in British Columbia has widened as health authorities have identified concerns with the quality of studies performed by two licensed and credentialed radiologists, a radiologist practicing out of St. Josephs General Hospital in Comox and a locum radiologist temporarily practicing in the Fraser Valley in 2009 and 2010. In addition, the authority has released recommendations based on phase one of the investigation.

Around the web

U.S. health systems are increasingly leveraging digital health to conduct their operations, but how health systems are using digital health in their strategies can vary widely.

When human counselors are unavailable to provide work-based wellness coaching, robots can substitute—as long as the workers are comfortable with emerging technologies and the machines aren’t overly humanlike.

A vendor that supplies EHR software to public health agencies is partnering with a health-tech startup in the cloud-communications space to equip state and local governments for managing their response to the COVID-19 crisis.