In the world of healthcare many are tempted to believe in panaceas. There will be a magic bullet that finally cures the worst diseases. There will be a regulatory fix that will bring greater benefits to more people at reduced costs. There will be technological breakthroughs that will facilitate the digitization of medical records and, as predicted by President Obama in 2009, “cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests.”
The goals are worthy and the efforts will never cease, but progress is not the same as success. The potential benefits of Electronic Medical Records remain valid, but results to date have too often fallen short.
