Electronic Health Records News

House Subcommittee Approves Legislation To Encourage Nationwide Adoption Of Electronic Health Records (Medical News Today)
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on Wednesday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 6357) that aims to encourage nationwide adoption of an electronic health record system, CQ Today reports (Wayne, CQ Today, 6/25).

Microsoft, Google And Others Agree To Electronic Health Records Standard (CBS News)
In a move designed to prompt more people to store their medical records online, Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and several others have agreed on privacy standards to protect patients’ information. The list includes WebMD (NSDQ: WBMD), MedicAlert, AARP, Consumer Reports publisher Consumers Union, BlueCross BlueShield, and other insurers.

Converting to Electronic Medical Charts (WJFW Rhinelander)
RHINELANDER – Out with the old and in with the new, Ministry Medical Group and Marshfield Clinics are throwing out paper charts and adopting electronic health records.

Physicians Slow To Adopt Electronic Health Record Systems Because Of High Costs, Survey Finds (Medical News Today)
The cost of switching from a paper-based health records system to an electronic version for patients is a key obstacle for many primary care physicians in the U.S., according to a study published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, USA Today reports.

Few Doctors Use Electronic Records Because of Costs, Poll Finds (Bloomberg.com)
June 19 (Bloomberg) — Electronic health records, touted by the government as a way to reduce medical costs, are used by few doctors because they are too expensive for their practices, a Harvard University survey found.

Doctors will get incentives to use electronic health records (The Capital Times)
The Madison area is one of 12 sites chosen to participate in a Medicare demonstration project that offers incentives to physicians for using electronic health records to improve patient care. “I congratulate Madison on this achievement, which demonstrates the strong commitment of this community to improving health care starting at the local level,” said Mike Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. …

La. picked for national health records pilot program (The Advocate)
Published: Jun 11, 2008 – UPDATED: 11:40 a.m. Louisiana is one of 12 sites selected by the federal health department to participate in a Medicare pilot program that gives incentive payments to doctors who use electronic health records.

HEALTH: Doctors can get reimbursed for converting paper records (The Daily Times)
ANNAPOLIS The Department of Health and Human Services says doctors in Maryland and Washington, D.C., will be the first in the country be reimbursed for converting paper medical records to electronic files.

Cambridgeshire County Council to use EDRM for centralised electronic social care records (PublicTechnology.net)
Cambridgeshire County Council will be implementing a new electronic documents and records management solution (eDRMS) based on the Morse Wisdom Product Suite.

Guest speaker provides insight on improving NW health care (Thunder Bay Post)
Health care providers in northern Ontario should avoid comparisons with other enclaves in the province and individuals would be well advised to get more involved in their own care a health care a specialist told members of the North West Local Health Integration Network Wednesday.