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Robert M. Kolodner, Simon P. Cohn, and Charles P. Friedman Health Information Technology: Strategic Initiatives, Real Progress Health Affairs, September/October 2008; 27(5): w391-w395. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] [Reprints & Permissions]

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Dichotomy In The U.S. ICT Health Care Environment

Alec Holt   ( 3 September 2008 )

Dichotomy In The U.S. ICT Health Care Environment 3 September 2008
Alec Holt, Director of Health Informatics University of Otago Send comment to journal: Re: Dichotomy In The U.S. ICT Health Care Environment aholt{at}infoscience.otago.ac.nz Alec Holt	I commend Kolodner et al. in their call to embrace and advance a transformational nation health strategy with regard to information communication technology (ICT). However, there is a dichotomy in U.S. health care in that in some ICT aspects it is passé and in others it is a clear world leader. Passé in that DesRoches et al. suggested that fewer than 20% of U.S. physicians use an electronic health record (EHR) and that only 4% have a fully functional EHR.[1] Some developing countries have better adoption rates in both EHRs and physician use of ICT. Research for the leading countries has shifted from adopting and populating EHRs to best-practice alerts, data mining, pharmacovigilance, social network tools, and, more recently, mobile tools. The U.S. health care system is a world leader in the Internet and mobile technologies. Google, Google Health, Microsoft Health Vault, Facebook, and Apple (with iPhone) are world leaders. In Health 2.0, personally controlled online health data, [2] and social networking areas specifically for health applications, the U.S. is also a leader. The slow adoption of EHRs has driven generations X and Y to solve their problems quickly in an empowered manner.[3] Evidence is clear that EHRs are beneficial and that the U.S. has the lead in new technologies, so the future is exciting. References 1. DesRoches CM et al. Electronic Health Records in Ambulatory Care -- A National Survey of Physicians. N Engl J Med 2008;359:50-60. 2. Steinbrook R. Personally controlled online health data -- the next big thing in medical care? N Engl J Med 2008;358:1653-6. 3. Holt A. Massive change is driven by generations X and Y. BMJ 2008;336:1147.