All true Bert.
Yes, Sandeep -- "tech" is sort of mature, in that it hasn't really done anything new in quite a while. Just more of the same, but faster, and in higher resolution.
Sort of like the automobile industry -- also "mature" and also having trouble finding a business model that maintains growth of profits, even as more people worldwide have the "benefits" of automobile transportation.
I disagree that "Part of problem is that there isn't much feedback going to AC as to what to do next." I think many people have tried to communicate their needs, and to a limited extent, AC has been willing and able to cooperate with them -- certainly more so than EPIC or Cerner-- but it isn't enough.
What we need is either one universal EMR (like thay have in Sweden, according to my Swedish cardiology friend) or at least a uniform set of file formats so that data from one EMR can be imported directly to another without going through cumbersome PDF files and an intermediate service like Updox. My "imported items" folder now is at 37GB -- in in some of the charts indexing is a nightmare.
Still, I think the problem with EMR started long before EMR -- with the development of the E&M coding process that requires extensive documentation to demonstrate that a particular code is justified.
I don't think there is any way out of this except to put doctors on salary, eliminate the redundant and obsessive documentation and develop a universal EMR -- we could all go to work for the VA perhaps.
I know that the current system is unsustainable -- I can't imagine wanting to go to medical school in this environment, at least, not with the intention of being a family doctor. I'm looking for an out myself -- but that isn't so easy, either.
