Hospitals take it slow with electronic recordkeeping

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登录/注册后可看大图 October 29, 2008 Hospitals take it slow with electronic recordkeeping By Getahn Ward The Tennessean Two years ago, relaxed federal laws made it easier for hospitals to subsidize the cost of doctors buying software to maintain patients' medical records electronically. But a new study shows that hospitals have been cautious about taking advantage of the rules. The findings by the Center for Studying Health System Change reflect how barriers still remain to adopting new technology that many experts insist would reduce medical costs and improve patient care. Antoine Agassi, chairman of the governor's eHealth Advisory Council, attributes the slow response to hospitals lacking the money or at least preferring to spend what they have on building their own systems rather than funding those for doctors in private practice. Hospitals can pay up to 85 percent of the costs of electronic medical records software and related support services for doctors. Doctors are responsible for the full cost of hardware and after 2013 would assume ongoing medical records costs. "You need to put skin in the game to make this work for your practice — there's no free ride," Agassi said, referring to how many stakeholders want someone else to pay to cover the costs of e-health systems. Some hospitals decide to fund less than the 85 percent maximum and ask doctors to make a financial commitment beyond the other 15 percent, said Joy Grossman, co-author of the center's study. "From the physician's perspective, the jury is still out on the value of adopting electronic medical records, particularly in the short run." Dr. Jordan Asher, physician network executive for Saint Thomas Health Services, cites low physician interest, hardware costs and other difficulties with implementation among reasons that many doctors and hospitals have moved cautiously toward electronic recordkeeping. [size=+2]Fewer requests than expected "We thought our doors would be knocked down with requests from outlying-area physicians, and we didn't see those pan out," Asher said. Saint Thomas' four-hospital system is providing e-medical records to doctors at affiliated practice groups. Elsewhere, HCA's TriStar Health System is piloting a system with two employed physicians' practices, hoping for a rollout next year. Larry Kloess, TriStar's president, said no decision has been made on whether to make similar offers to doctors' practices not employed by HCA. Cindy Reisz, a health-care attorney at the Bass Berry & Sims law firm here, said hospitals have focused on employed doctors because they have similar systems and there is little chance of running afoul of anti-kickback laws. John Deane, CEO of physician practice management firm Southwind Health Partners, isn't surprised that hospitals have focused internally. That's a good first step before expanding services to other doctors who aren't directly employed at their institutions, Deane said.

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