For Doctors, EHR Adoption Isn't A Spectator Sport

 Just as the right medical treatment is critical to a patient's health, the right approach to selecting and adopting an electronic health records system is critical to the health, and even survival, of a physician's practice. And it's not just about the technology.

Big problems can come from making the wrong EHR choice for the wrong reasons, and from expecting a software vendor to successfully implement an EHR system without the engagement of the practice's physicians. Those problems will cost much more than the federal stimulus funds being offered to encourage physicians to implement EHRs.

For physician practices, EHR selection and adoption isn't a spectator sport: Doctors must be actively engaged. They must focus on evaluating features that support patient quality, safety, outcomes, privacy, and security. But they also must insist on features that improve the efficiency and viability of their practices.