Many people in the medical field have held different opinions towards electronic medical records-keeping system, with majority of them holding a positive opinion towards its implementation in medical institution. However, an electronic record keeping has received criticism from various parties, and this is what Project HOPE under the leadership of Roger Taylor seeks to find out. The article covers a number of interviewed medical institutions as well as employees in the same field. The main idea of the research was to identify the financial aspect and its effect with the application electronic record keeping system in medical institutions especially hospitals and compares it with other institutions in other fields other than the medical industry across the Unites States.
Health Information Technology in the Unites States, from a critical overview is the most successful and efficient InfoTech systems across the world, and uses up to $1.7 Trillion per year and only an approximated number of 15-20% of medical institutions across the country have adopted the system. The most significant thing however is the fact that Electronic Medical Record system (EMR), which contributes to a mere less than 7% of the entire Health Information System, save about $81 Billion on its own, annually (Hillestad, et. Al, 2005, Para 14).
Having been in operation for about two decades now and with the constantly rising rate at which HIT is picking in medical institutions across the United States, it is evident that if fully embraced, it will not only save time and labor, but also resources for the American economy. In my opinion however, many employees might be left unemployed or shifted to other departments. With the current employment trend in the medical industry however, this will be a good strategy that will counter the lack of employee staff to work in the medical field in the United States, and will therefore come in as an alternative and a relief to the overburdened employees. The article can be found on http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/24/5/1103.full
REFERENCES
Hillestad, R., Bigelow, J., Bower, A., Girosi, F., Meili, R., Scoville, R. & Taylor, R. (2005). “Can Electronic Medical Record Systems Transform Health Care? Potential health benefits, savings, and Costs.” Health Affairs. 24(5). 1103-1117.
