Electronic Technologies: Can They Alter the Human Aspect of Medical Care?

T he use of electronic health-care records (EHRs) and communication technologies has expanded considerably in the past 5 years. Electronic health-care records and computerized physician order entry have contributed to greater accuracy in care and reduced medical errors in the high-risk oncology setting (Harshberger et al., 2011). And although the use of EHRs requires training as well as ongoing vigilance and assessment, studies have documented staff satisfaction with the ability of EHRs to provide current and comprehensive pa-Benefits In addition to EHRs, many health-care providers also use wireless personal electronic devices to access immediate information on patient data, get updated drug information, and input patient information into the EHR. These devices include, but are not limited to, laptops, tablets, hand-held computers, and smartphones. The devices provide the ability to communicate via longer text messages ; they also allow the user to access applications that give drug information , enable medical calculations, and even provide updated evidence-based guidelines (Moore, 2011). For health-care providers who previously depended on hard copy reference guidelines and medical texts for current information, personal electronic devices are a welcome addition to patient care. These electronic advances are a major focus of our Tools & Technology feature in the Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology. As a nurse practitioner working with patients in oncology, I can say that the improvements in electronic health-care technology have made a significant differ