AMA Continues Efforts to Improve Electronic Health Records

CHICAGO — The American Medical Assoc. (AMA) pledged to work with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to improve the flow of electronic health information to patients and physicians and increase data sharing that will achieve healthier people and smarter spending.

The lack of seamless data exchange continues to drag down physician efficiency and patient satisfaction when using these tools, and improving electronic health records (EHRs) will require a concerted effort of public and private stakeholders. The AMA strongly supports the building blocks of EHR interoperability: improved consumer access, no information blocking, and the use of nationally recognized interoperability standards.

“Patients and physicians are in this effort together because patients need easy access to their electronic health information, confident that it is secure and can be shared to benefit their health, and physicians need these electronic records to be interoperable to ensure that patients are receiving the best care possible,” said AMA President Dr. Steven Stack. “Yet, physicians have trouble finding products that can help them achieve this. With so many vendors signing this pledge as well, we look forward to a marketplace where the promise of electronic health records is finally fulfilled.”

The majority of hospitals and physicians already use certified electronic health records, yet, for many, the true utility of these products is still elusive. The AMA is encouraged by the number of health IT vendors that support this pledge, and looks forward to working with them to improve EHRs going forward.

“We commend HHS for bringing so many stakeholders together, all of whom have an interest in using technology to result in a healthier and more efficient healthcare system,” Stack said.