Electronic Medical Records: Friends or Foes?

Excerpt

Historically, hospitals maintained medical records with paper charts and printed radiographs, which were then stored and maintained at outpatient practices and hospitals. Current technology permits conversion of these records to electronic media, and increasingly, physicians are documenting their clinical activities directly into an electronic medical record (EMR). However, many aspects of implementation and use of EMRs are controversial. For this Clinical Faceoff, I have invited two colleagues with expertise and experience in the implementation of an EMR in clinical practice. Both have strong academic records, but clearly hold some divergent points of view with respect to the use of EMRs in clinical practice. …