EHR features and their hidden cost

Everyone loves new features and in the EHR industry, they are often required.  Whether the new EHR features are for Meaningful Use, Quality Measures, or Surescripts new requirements and the drive for new features keep coming. 

In programming, new features often come at a price.  That price is often in the physician's workflow.  Whether the new features add more steps (more clicks) to an already burgeoning list of things he/she has to do, or those features slow the system down.

As Steve Jobs said, people don't know what they want until you give it to them. Doctors like all the features that come with some of the large EHR systems, but when using EHRs, they want speed.  They have limited time with their patients and don't want to use it inside an EHR. 

There are two places that EHRs can improve speed.  One is at the code level.  Making sure their code is updated, works well with new additions, is on a strong platform, and with optimize database management.  This help with the spinning wheel when waiting to go from one screen to the next.

The other way is often over looked.  And that is work flow.  How do doctors think and how do they want their charts to look and feel.  Is it intuitive and does it use the least number of clicks.  This is where most EHRs fail their clients.  And until this becomes a top priority, the true benefits of EHRs for physicians cannot be realized.

Paint Colors and EHR Interoperability

As some of you may know, i have been building a cornhole set (bean bag toss game) for tailgating at the New England.  When it came time to paint the set with the Patriots logs, i looked up the color scheme online.  There were a number of standardized color formats (HTML, Pantone, RGB, etc) to get the accurate colors for the logo.  But  when i went to Lowe's to get the paint, i was told none of that mattered.  No paints are standard, so each red, green and blue are different.  Not even white is standard.  

While this was a frustrating experience, it was only paint.  With EHRs this lack of standardization can lead to poor patient care and increased medical expenses.  Whether it is the ability to see notes from specialists,  ED visits, or medications added by an urgent care visit, if the physician can't see the information, patient care can suffer.  

EHR interoperability requires a standard language for EHRs and diagnoses.  ICD-10 is a big step in the right direction for diagnoses. With a standard set of diagnosis codes, EHRs and HIEs can better talk with each other leading to better interoperability.  But that will be only the first step.  EHRs need to be able to communicate better with each other and until they do, full interoperability will not be achieved.

Building a cornhole set (a bean bag toss game)

I learned from my step-sister, Cara, that the bean bag toss game we see when we tailgate is called a cornhole.  Not the term I expected, but it comes from the fact that the classic bean bags are filled with corn (often feed corn).

I have begun building a the ramps you play with (and will likely purchase the bags).  My wife and daughter will be painting the New England Patriots logo on the game set.

I am using the instructions at This Old House.  I like This Old House and I liked that they suggested a handle for easy carrying.

Building a cornhole... http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20397259,00.html

Learned the bean bag toss game was called a 'cornhole' from my step-sister Cara. Will update with pictures as i go.