20 April 2015

What percentage of physicians have not yet transitioned to EMRs?

What percentage of physicians still use paper medical records instead of digital? Why haven't they switched?

My answer as of 2015


In 2008, 4% of U.S. physicians reported having an extensive, fully functional electronic-records system, and 13% reported having a basic system, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, see Common Examples of Healthcare IT Failure (Drexel University).

By May 2013, approximately 90% of health care facilities had implemented an electronic health record (EHR) system although only 56% of long-term care facilities had done so, see Long-term care facilities lag behind on EHR adoption.

As for physicians, CDC Releases Report on Physician EHR Adoption in 2014  indicated an EHR adoption rate of 78%. Here is some data about physicians' usage of digital records and technology via Survey shows EHR skepticism increasing among U.S. doctors published 15 April 2015.

The number of U.S. doctors who routinely use digital tools, such as secure email, for communicating with patients is 30% now versus 13% in 2012.

The five IT capabilities that U.S. doctors use the most are:
  • entering patient notes electronically (82%); 
  • prescribing drugs electronically (72%); 
  • receiving clinical results directly into a patient’s EMR (65%); 
  • using electronic administration tools (63%); 
  • sending e-order requests to labs (62%). 
I don't know the composition of the complementary data. It depends on the number of N/A or "didn't know" or "didn't respond to that question" versus "I use paper" responses.

A note about terminology


An EMR is an Electronic Medical Record. An EHR (Electronic Health Record) system consists of either EMRs or EHRs, i.e. they are used interchangeably. I don't often see "EMR systems". I'm unsure why "EHR systems" is the more common term.  Often, context is necessary to determine whether "EHR" refers to an EHR system or an EHR.
 

10 April 2015

How to increase the US prison population

How can the percentage of the population that the United States of America incarcerates be increased?

Start by using funds intended for Social Security to construct more privately-built and operated prisons. I'm certain that other New Deal programs like Medicare could be rolled back too.

Set policy goals for incarcerating more highly educated and skilled people. Prison labor costs cents on the dollar, e.g. convicts often must work for 15 cents per hour doing work that is compensated at $7 to $10 per hour at market rates. Incarcerated physicians, software engineers, electricians, and skilled tradesmen would offer remarkable savings as part of supervised work-release programs. They could also serve as domestic servants to the political elite and ruling classes! 

Alternatively, immigration status could be expanded to include indentured servitude. How to get them incarcerated? That's a more challenging problem. Impose some draconian and opaque taxes on the bond holder; if not paid properly and on time, the indentured servant is incarcerated not the owner uh bond holder. 

If there is public outcry about an increasingly totalitarian state, solve the problem by making FEMA death camps a reality for any who object.