A number of recent articles have addressed the challenges that exist with implementing electronic medical records (EMRs). This research suggests about half of survey respondents identify either the installation process or the complexities of the EMR technology as the top challenge. Presently about one-quarter of respondent noted that their EMR implementation has exceeded or vastly exceeded expectations. However, at present, not all respondents are doing an assessment of the cost savings that can be generated from an EMR; one-quarter of respondents reported that they don’t measure the cost savings associated with their EMR system. Among the respondents who measure their cost savings, only six percent reported that the cost savings have exceeded expectations. Finally, nearly 40 percent reported that the organization they work for has experienced a patient safety or healthcare quality issue that can be directly tied to their electronic system (if they work for a vendor organization, they’ve had a client report this to be the case).
Report
HIMSS Vantage Point, February 2010
