This journalist thinks so. She thinks that HIT may do more harm than good.
“Can health information technology transform the healthcare system? With an expansive, multi-year plan to digitally overhaul the nation’s medical records systems, the federal government is betting it can.I think it will be both. It will do both harm and good, as with every technology. The good side of the internet allows us to find out information about anyone, but the bad side is it lets us find out information about anyone. It won’t be easy to get HIT up to speed where it will mesh seamlessly. The revolution is coming, so the tape will be cut.
But doctors aren’t so sure. Most see value in digital recordkeeping. But many are also worried that the government’s efforts could undermine the doctor-patient relationship by forcing physicians to spend more time untangling Washington’s red tape — and less time treating the sick.”
