Physician whose mother had heart surgery reflects on sane EHR use

The following from a physician I know, an ED physician, on the care their mother received at a major academic medical center's teaching hospital using EHR.Emphases mine:Mom just had aortic valve at hospital [name redacted] associated with [redacted] Medical School.  EHR used was [major EHR vendor name redacted] but it clearly had been pushed into the background......1) Every ICU patient also had a printed chart in a notebook (paper) medical record book kept at the nursing station.  Just like the old days. It was the most commonly used source of info to the residents and staff.2) Not once did I see an EHR physically come between a patient and a staff member (as opposed to nearly every encounter where I work).3) Mom's (and every ICU patients) plan for the day was outlined in magic marker directly on the glass doors and windows and updated during rounds....available for immediate reference, not buried in an EHR.4) Her clinical info was accurate....... it was dictated and not fabricated from pick lists or dot phrases.5) Clerks put in the data and Dr's orders......apparently they long ago figured out the nonsense called CPOE and let the clerks do it.I suspect many major University hospitals have worked around the workflow barriers and most egregious documentation sins.  The doctors there (at least in that Cardiothoracic ICU) have enough clout that they can just say HELL NO.  Those of us working for less astute/ non cutting edge community hospitals run by "also ...

Source: Health Care Renewal - January 24, 2014 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: EHR-associated clerical work healthcare IT risks Source Type: blogs