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Smartphones May Ease EMR Adoption

June 12th, 2009

A research firm suggests increasing popularity of sophisticated cell phones among physicians will dramatically alter the transition to electronic medical records (EMR) in a way incentives and legislation cannot.

AMA News reports that Manhattan Research’s recent report, “Taking the Pulse v9.0,” found 64 percent of physicians use smartphones—such as iPhones, Blackberrys, Treos, and others—bringing wireless Internet access and desktop applications to the pocket. This is double the number eight years ago.

The report suggests that physicians are finding ease and success using the handheld systems for many day-to-day activities, such as to access drug and clinical references and to calculate dosages. New EMR applications are being developed to run on these phones. And the portability and familiarity with the technology means whoever can make a system that effectively uses smartphones may help set the tone for EMRs.

“You have to make it very easy for the average doctor,” said Denis Harris, MD, an orthopaedic doctor who runs most of his practice from an iPhone. As told by AMA News, Dr. Harris says that mobile technology is encouraging physicians who avoided IT adoption to take a second look.

Click here to read the complete AMA News story.

2 Responses to “Smartphones May Ease EMR Adoption”

  1. Carolyn Griffiths Says:
    June 18th, 2009 at 2:29 am

    In reviewing the story re: Physicians using “Smart Phones” and EMR’s I find a little disconcerting. My concern would be patient confidentiality. What if the physician misplaces his/her phone – hackers are becoming more and more ept at their jobs. It seems to me that one would have to build an almost “foolproof” system for this to happen. In my opinion as a Certified Professional Coder is that we should keep the information that is used for our patients as confidential as possible – that being said – keep their information behind the 4 walls of their treatment facility. We already have physicians accessing patient information from home which doesn’t always pave the way for privacy.

  2. Shawna Sanchez Says:
    July 11th, 2009 at 8:57 am

    I agree with your comments Carolyn but if the President of the United States can use a blackberry I think we may be safe. Verizon states they are the only network that is HIPAA compliant. Physicians are really going to have to ask the questions and be diligent in investigating what they are signing up for and what software they are using. This whole wave of the future can be a very good thing but I think pausing to analyze the software is a must. Insurance companies and the government are making being a profitable doctor a thing of the past and we have to figure out ways to work smarter. Technology is going to be a big part of that.

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