On behalf of all of us at GoalDirected Informatics,
a message from Dr. Moharir
My interest in biomedical informatics and electronic medical records began in medical school. As a student who did not have the benefit of computer based results reporting, I would have to go down to the lab every morning and wait 30 minutes for the staff to photocopy reports for our rounds. I recall thinking to myself that a better way to do things must exist. While most of healthcare in the United States now has computerized results reporting, not much else has changed.
We physicians and healthcare organizations still get inundated with repetitious paperwork that increases year after year. It seems that regulators and payers find having the physician or medical office staff fill out another piece of paper stands as the solution for any problem that arises. Such a trajectory over that last two decades has resulted in less time physicians have available to spend with patients and for themselves. Costs have continued to increase for all parties.
Many advocate the electronic medical record (EMR) as a solution to the above problems. However, EMRs have yet to reach their promise. Even when installed, the results have fallen far below expectations. According to Dr. David Brailer, former head of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, up to 50% of all EMR installations end in failure. Initially, such dismal rates were due to lack of sophistication of EMR systems, limited computing power, and less developed IT infrastructure. These factors have significantly improved and yet optimal utilization of EMR systems still lags. Why?
I strongly believe the improper incorporation of EMR systems into the clinical workflow ranks as the primary culprit for the current deficiencies in EMR utilization. IT professionals often do not realize the complexity and details of the medical environment. The only people that can truly appreciate the medical domain are those that work in patient care on a regular basis. Yet clinicians, especially physicians, often remain absent from the planning and implementation of EMRs and a review of EMR consulting firms shows a lack of physician experts. We at GoalDirected Informatics have a better way to do things. Why not have practicing physicians who know EMRs guide their colleagues toward successful implementation? Why not have physicians assist information technology companies utilize medical informatics software to better care, improve efficiency, and increase profit margin? We at Vimiya welcome the opportunity to provide this service to you.
Sincerely,
Vik
Vik Moharir, MD, MA
President and CEO
GoalDirected Informatics LLC
Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine
Member, American Medical Informatics Association