What Are the Barriers to Using EMR?

Paperwork constitutes up to 40 percent of medical costs, according to the Medical Systems Development Corp. Implementing an EMR system in the U.S. health care industry could cut health care costs while improving health service. However, doctors face many barriers trying to use an EMR.

Identification

• EMR stands for Electronic Medical Record, according to The Policy Journal of the Health Sphere. EMR stores medical files on a computer rather than use physical paper copies.

Technical Barriers

• Implementing an EMR system in a doctor's office is not cheap, especially for smaller practices, reports the New York Times. In addition, most smaller hospital institutions need external technical support to install such a system.

Cultural Barriers

• Doctors expect a certain amount of work flow, namely spending time filling out paperwork. An EMR will significantly change a doctor's flow and potentially reduce the quality of service the physician provides by giving him more patients. Patients and physicians may also feel unsafe risking patient medical records to potential electronic theft, according to For The Record Magazine.

Significance

• Only 13 percent of doctors reported using an EMR in 2004, and 32 percent claimed they would consider using an electronic filing system, according to Robert H. Miller and Ida Sim of The Policy Journal of the Health Sphere.

Prevention/Solution

• The federal government and the health care industry are trying to promote the use of electronic medical records. The 2009 economic stimulus package included $19 billion to help implement systems in the U.S., reports the New York Times.