Healthcare IT or Patient Centered IT tools. They are by no means a general purpose solution for anything what is wrong in healthcare nor a substitute for
face to face encounters between patient and physician. In fact an EMR itself is nothing more like a data tool which needs the definition of an appropriate enviroment to work out.
“These findings show that EMRs can indeed allow physicians to use time with their patients more effectively, for example by aiding in communication around treatment plans,” said Commonwealth Fund Vice President Anne-Marie Audet, MD. “That could potentially translate into significant benefits for patient outcomes, as other studies have shown that engaged patients understand their health problems better and are more likely to follow their doctor’s recommendations.”
This quote references patient communication and education as a major ingredient for patient empowerment. As blogged earlier this could indeed be a trigger for entering an improvement cycle for health related situations. Seen this way an EMR is just a stone in the pathway to therapies with higher patient involvement.
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/emrs-double-edged-sword-doc-patient-communication
