A Multi-Case Investigation of Electronic Health Record Implementation in Small- and Medium-Size Physician Practices

Abstract

The American healthcare system has undergone significant changes as health information technology (HIT) has evolved. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2001), "Automation of clinical, financial, and administrative transactions is essential to improving quality, preventing errors, enhancing consumer confidence in the health system, and improving efficiency" (p. 16). HIT helps target improvements in patient care through improved adherence to clinical guidelines, improved monitoring of diseases, reduction in medical and medication errors, and access to more accurate and complete health information that aids in the decision-making process (Cecchini, 2011a). However, these improvements are not guaranteed just because an electronic health record (EHR) is implemented. Improvement in the quality of care is dependent on what the specific EHR offers in the way of functionality and how it affects providers and office staff (Carayon, Smith, Hundt, Kuruchittham, & Li 2009).

A Novel Data-Driven Framework for Risk Characterization and Prediction from Electronic Medical Records: A Case Study of Renal Failure

“…The growth and wide-spread adoption of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems [1,2,3] has led to efficient recording of patient characteristics and their encounter details that makes the information accessible for secondary data purposes. The resultant rich longitudinal view of the patients' disease progression and treatment response, allows for novel analyses, even leading to revision of the recommended treatment and patient-care plans [4,5,6].…”