I have had a love hate relationship with our computerized medical record since we first started using it in 2007. Much like computers in all of American society, the idea that our computerized medical record is just a small facet of what we do, involved in the storage of information, is a gross simplification. In the US (also elsewhere, but I can't speak for Europe or Asia from much personal experience) the ubiquitous presence of computers has affected how we work, play, think, communicate. These interfaces with brains that we use so frequently have made us fatter, more connected to each others' thoughts, less connected to each others' bodies, has reduced our ability to use non-visual senses, has partially convinced us that 3 dimensions are optional, and I could go on for hours (at which time all hope of going out for a walk would be gone.) In my medical office, my near-umbilical connection to my laptop has touched all parts of what I do. The production of a document, which...
The cost of health care in the US is higher than anywhere else in the world, and yet we are not healthier than our peer nations. In fact, in terms of such measures as infant mortality and life span, we don't measure up. Why is this? Many people involved in providing or receiving care have some pretty good ideas about what costs so much, and what we can do to reduce costs and improve quality. Sharing these stories is an important step in creating affordable universal health care.