EMR Interoperability a Stumbling Block

Yes, the clock is indeed ticking for EMR adoption by healthcare providers of all sizes and shapes.  Under the ARRA, stimulus money is available for those fortunate enough to have the available funds, IT support and department synergy and expertise (and clairvoyance?) to purchase an EMR platform.  If you are among this group, you make your purchase and you begin plowing ahead, enjoying all of the wonderful things you can now do, estimating your savings, waiting for stimulus money.  But what about the national goal of health information exchange?  Are you interoperable?  Can you send and/or receive results from, say, another EMR three states away?  And, if so, are you sure you are sending exactly the right information to the right place in a compliant manner?  Maybe you are.  And then again, maybe we should put the brakes on a bit until we know for sure.  Healthcare information isn’t analogous to banking information – not by a long shot.

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