Comments on: Why Hospitals Don’t Have Electronic Medical Records http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/ Insights on Health Care Reform | NCPA Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:27:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lori http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/comment-page-1/#comment-47257 Lori Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:41:45 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=6025#comment-47257 Hospitals do attempt, at least through their marketing, to compete based on quality. However, for most consumers, it doesn't come down to a price/quality debate at all; it comes down to "which facility/practitioner accepts my insurance?" The quality debate rarely comes into focus at all with our current healthcare costs. Few people can afford to go out-of-network for most routine procedures. Fundamentally, everyone should aspire to provide the best service possible, but there is no rational reason why they should take on the cost of EMRs and absorb the cost (if they even could) simply to provide better care. Hospitals do attempt, at least through their marketing, to compete based on quality. However, for most consumers, it doesn’t come down to a price/quality debate at all; it comes down to “which facility/practitioner accepts my insurance?” The quality debate rarely comes into focus at all with our current healthcare costs. Few people can afford to go out-of-network for most routine procedures. Fundamentally, everyone should aspire to provide the best service possible, but there is no rational reason why they should take on the cost of EMRs and absorb the cost (if they even could) simply to provide better care.

]]> By: Larry C http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/comment-page-1/#comment-47152 Larry C Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:25:48 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=6025#comment-47152 I think the broader issue is a point John Goodman has made several times at this blog. Hospitals, like doctors, are not really competing for patients based on price. And when they don't compete on price, they don't compete on quality either. I think the broader issue is a point John Goodman has made several times at this blog. Hospitals, like doctors, are not really competing for patients based on price. And when they don’t compete on price, they don’t compete on quality either.

]]> By: Linda Gorman http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/comment-page-1/#comment-47141 Linda Gorman Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:56:03 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=6025#comment-47141 If hospitals are profit maximizers, which the economic literature suggests is true even for non-profits when faced with competition, then they would install electronic records if they saved more than their installation costs. In fact, many hospitals have done so. To say that hospitals don't put in electronic records because they can make more money losing x-rays ignores the fact that some hospitals have. It also ignores the fact that electronic records are hideously expensive so that for smaller hospitals they simply might not make sense. If hospitals are profit maximizers, which the economic literature suggests is true even for non-profits when faced with competition, then they would install electronic records if they saved more than their installation costs. In fact, many hospitals have done so.

To say that hospitals don’t put in electronic records because they can make more money losing x-rays ignores the fact that some hospitals have. It also ignores the fact that electronic records are hideously expensive so that for smaller hospitals they simply might not make sense.

]]> By: Vicki http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/comment-page-1/#comment-47127 Vicki Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:35:22 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=6025#comment-47127 This is an interesting explanation of why hospitals don't use them. This is an interesting explanation of why hospitals don’t use them.

]]> By: Bruce http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/comment-page-1/#comment-47123 Bruce Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:00:08 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=6025#comment-47123 Good point, Ken. They all should ride without helmets. Good point, Ken. They all should ride without helmets.

]]> By: Devon Herrick http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/why-hospitals-don%e2%80%99t-have-electronic-medical-records/comment-page-1/#comment-47122 Devon Herrick Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:32:22 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=6025#comment-47122 If they were actually competing on price and risked going out of business when money was wasted on redundant tests, hospitals would all have state-of-the-art health information technology (HIT) systems. However, since hospitals are not competing on price (or quality); and because there is a financial disincentive for installing HIT systems that eliminate duplicate tests, it is easy to see why HIT is underutilized in the United States Health Care System. Where systems do exist, they are often silos with limited features rather than robust systems that are interoperable across institutions. If they were actually competing on price and risked going out of business when money was wasted on redundant tests, hospitals would all have state-of-the-art health information technology (HIT) systems. However, since hospitals are not competing on price (or quality); and because there is a financial disincentive for installing HIT systems that eliminate duplicate tests, it is easy to see why HIT is underutilized in the United States Health Care System. Where systems do exist, they are often silos with limited features rather than robust systems that are interoperable across institutions.

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