Social Change of EMR

Introduction/Thesis A chartless/paperless doctor’s office was once something only dreamt of in a Star Trek episode. Soon humans will utilize laser beams as a major mode of transportation; well possibly in the distant future we will transport ourselves via laser beam. The advancements in health care technology have made it possible to obtain a chartless (paperless) environment. Whether you are in private practice or part of a major health care organization, the latest technological push is towards EMR (electronic medical record) systems. The impact of EMR systems can be compared to a small earthquake; it has the potential to send shock waves through a health care environment long after the initial quake has
A Physician Champion muddles through the clinical verbiage much quicker than a non-clinical person. HIMSS, stands for Health Information Management Systems Society. This group is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting a better understanding of health care information and management systems. In 2007, HIMSS published an article regarding the pitfalls of implementing an EMR product. In the article they discuss the social change the clinicians must go through prior, during and post implementation and the importance of a physician champion, “Physician leadership throughout your implementation is essential to your practice’s success and momentum of the project lies with the Physician Champion”. (EMR Implementation Issues)

Social Change of Work-flow Old school clinicians are quite reluctant to relinquish their paper charts. It is without a doubt, they are truly afraid of the social change that will occur with technological advancement. The introduction of EMR will initially affect the entire environment of the practice; however, once the practice is proficient on the new product, the efficiencies of the product will prove to be beneficial and the growing pains will ease. A major cause of concern during the implementation is provider productivity. Provider’s performance will be affected due to the learning curve, Jonathan S.