This analysis in Health Affairs shows that EHR adoption initially results in higher patient mortality but in the long run lowers mortality. Having gone through the transition from paper to digital, it’s easy to imagine. Initially you think, ‘how do I do this?’ Then you say, ‘how did we do it with paper?’ There’s a period of adaptation that happens with new ... Continue Reading about The Health Technology Outcomes Gap
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Within Normal Limits
If you poke around old medical records you’ll find WNL written in parts of the physical exam. Neurological: WNL. It means within normal limits. It’s the pen and ink dotphrase used through most of paper record history by physicians to indicate that the organ or system under exam was unremarkable. One of medicine’s most versatile and open-ended acronyms, within ... Continue Reading about Within Normal Limits
Voalte Phones and the Fantasy of Real-Time Physician Communication
I have a friend who’s a hospitalist. His team carries Voalte phones for communication within the hospital. The Voalte phone is an enterprise mobile device that allows communication by voice and text. For those trying to reach the doctor there is no waiting for a call back after a page. You just call directly. On the surface this seems like it would improve ... Continue Reading about Voalte Phones and the Fantasy of Real-Time Physician Communication
Keyboarding Doctors: Would You Hire a Doctor Who Can’t Type?
In 2011 I wrote about typing as a critical physician skill. Things haven’t changed much. Voice recognition has improved but admittedly only works in certain contexts. Typing remains key. It’s the interface to the digital world. You can quibble about EHRs but the critical nature of keyboarding goes well beyond records and impacts how we connect to the world. As I ... Continue Reading about Keyboarding Doctors: Would You Hire a Doctor Who Can’t Type?
Technology Challenges for Young Physicians
During a recent interview a reporter asked me to discuss the technology challenges faced by young physicians. I was tempted to mention EHRs. The problem is that a technology challenge identified through my lens may not represent a challenge to a younger generation. Mid-career physicians see change from within the constraints of their own 20th century ... Continue Reading about Technology Challenges for Young Physicians
Health SXSW 2018 | The 33 charts Super Guide
Check out the Health MedTech SXSW Super Guide for 2019. This year's updated edition. Headed to SXSW 2018? I've done the heavy lifting by curating a super list of the best health care talks and events at SXSW interactive. Think of it as the ultimate guide for the health care power user. If you’ve not done Health SXSW you’re in for a treat. SXSW is the original ... Continue Reading about Health SXSW 2018 | The 33 charts Super Guide