Electronic Health Records: Cure-all or Chronic Condition?

Chris Kimble ()

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Abstract: Computer-based information systems feature in almost every aspect of our lives, and yet most of us receive handwritten prescriptions when we visit our doctors and rely on paper-based medical records in our healthcare. Although electronic health record (EHR) systems have long been promoted as a cost-effective and efficient alternative to this situation, clear-cut evidence of their success has not been forthcoming. An examination of some of the underlying problems that prevent EHR systems from delivering the benefits that their proponents tout identifies four broad objectives - reducing cost, reducing errors, improving coordination and improving adherence to standards - and shows that they are not always met. The three possible causes for this failure to deliver involve problems with the codification of knowledge, group and tacit knowledge, and coordination and communication. There is, however, reason to be optimistic that EHR systems can fulfil a healthy part, if not all, of their potential.

Keywords: EHR; Electronic Health Records; Electronic Medical Records; Electronic Patient Records; Healthcare; Information Systems; Knowledge Management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-04-23
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00985175v1
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Published in Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 2014, 34 (4), pp.63-74. ⟨10.1002/joe.21554⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00985175

DOI: 10.1002/joe.21554

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