Healthcare IT News - April 2009 - (Page 30) 30 Healthcare IT News ■ April 2009 PHySIcIaN PRactIcES & amBulatoRy caRE tunity for dialogue with their patients. ■ Doctors reject what their patients say. ■ Doctors are proactive and try to shape online content by providing it themselves. According to a 2006 U.S. study involving a nationally representative sample of 1,050 physicians, 38 percent found their patient’s use of the Internet to benefit their relationship, while 54 percent reported no effect. Eight percent said they felt “challenged” and it had a negative effect on their relationship. “I personally feel that traditional medicine has taken a paternalistic view of patients,” says Steinberg. “I think hopefully we have moved away form this. The best way is to empower patients to take control of their own health and get them to interact with their doctor.” Steinberg says that if done correctly the Internet can be the tool that people use to do this. ■ More at www.HealthcareITNews.com INSoMNIa Continued from page 29 29 percent didn’t think their doctor would take their insomnia seriously. “Given the level of dissatisfaction so many patients have with their sleep-related doctor’s visits, it’s not surprising that so many are turning to the Internet for help,” says Steinberg. In a study of 85.6 million U.S. adults, 38 percent say they have doubted their medical profes- sional’s opinion or diagnosis because it conflicted with information they found online. Fard Johnmar, founder of Envision Solutions, a N.Y. Mike Steinberg, -based healthcare MD marketing communications consulting firm, says research has found that physicians are usually responding in one of three ways to their patients’ research online: ■ Doctors see is it as an oppor- Docs use IT, but are not enjoying it By Molly MerrIll, Associate Editor HealthcareITNews.com e ●Connect: INSoMNIa 0409 – A recent survey finds that although more physician leaders are using healthcare information technology, they still find it clunky and unresponsive to their needs. The survey, by the American College of Physician Executives, polled 1,000 ACPE members and provides new findings from a similar study that ACPE conducted in 2004. The findings include: ■ More than 64 percent of respondents said they use electronic medical records, up from 33 percent in 2004. ■ About 44 percent said their organization uses computerized order entry, while only about 33 percent used CPOE five years ago. ■ More than 38 percent said they use Albert Villarin, MD pharmaceutical bar coding, up from 20 percent in 2004. Though the increase in technology has risen since the 2004 survey, the new survey revealed that physicians’ attitudes have not improved. One physician said adopting electronic medical records has been “the worst aspect of my 25 years in medicine. It has ruined doctor productivity, produced lower quality care and encouraged notes that are false to the point of fraud.” Respondents complained the systems are still too clunky, too hard to use and too poorly developed. The survey revealed that the biggest source of frustration is a lack of input from physicians when designing and implementing healthcare information technology systems. Many said involving clinicians at the planning stages would pre-empt many of the problems that crop up later. “There seems to be too little physician involvement in planning. There is no well-thought-out plan of how technology can be utilized to optimize workflow or improve efficiency. Systems are chosen according to administrative criteria rather than what physicians need to get the job done,” said one respondent. According to the survey, Albert Villarin, MD, chief medical information officer for the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network in Philadelphia, believes the healthcare industry is still experiencing so many difficulties because of the cost issue. “Many institutions can’t afford to buy the level of quality and integrity with a global system for an entire network. We’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars in a large market,” he said. ■ TAMPA, FL More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: CLUNKY 0409 ● http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/provider-related-internet-content-gains-more-trust http://www.artromick.com http://www.artromick.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/docs-use-it-are-not-enjoying-it
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