It is frequently asserted that the secondary use of data contained in electronic health records (EHRs) requires the informed consent of the subjects of these records. This paper argues that while correct in principle, this has four important ethically based limitations: when it seriously threatens the equal and competing right of others, when it undermines the ability of health care providers t...

BACKGROUND Access to personal health information through the electronic health record (EHR) is an innovative means to enable people to be active participants in their own health care. Currently this is not an available option for consumers of health. The absence of a key technology, the EHR, is a significant obstacle to providing patient accessible electronic records. To assess the readiness fo...

Consumer demand for personal health records (PHRs) and the capabilities provided by regional health information organizations (RHIOs) will change healthcare, just as automatic teller machines have changed banking. The PHR is predicated on the existence of electronic medical records (EMRs) and electronic health records (EHRs). Patient and consumer principles guiding the development of the PHR re...

This chapter explores the application of Information Technology to healthcare in the United States. Recent developments and trends in healthcare information technology (HIT) are presented and discussed. Widespread adoption of HIT promises to save lives, save money, and improve health. Definitions, descriptions, and examples of electronic health records (EHRs) and personal health records (PHRs) ...

Hospitals invest in information technology to lower costs and to improve quality of care. With presidential leaders backing an in place policy that requires Electronic Health Records (EHRs) to be implemented in all hospitals by 2014 and the unveiling of a $1.2 billion grant for these systems, it is essential to understand the operational impacts of EHRs. This study explores EHRs in a hospital e...

The rise in the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and associated resources over the last decade is leading to the end of the paper medical record and all the risks associated with the use of a paper chart. However, there has not been a concomitant creation of a systematic oversight body that is specifically charged with ensuring the public’s safety through the use of EHR knowledge resourc...

Electronic health records (EHRs) are now being adopted in many regions, in part due to their promise of supporting information sharing between distributed health care workers. This technology allows an implicit form of collaboration by providing information about treatments and outcomes among the individuals involved in the patient’s care. However, it is unclear how well collaborative work prac...

The healthcare industry has been transitioning from paper-based medical records to electronic health (EHRs) in most facilities. However, the current EHR frameworks face challenges secure data storage, credibility, and management. Interoperability user control of personal are also significant concerns sector. Although block chain technology emerged as a powerful solution that can offer propertie...

Physician-patient communication is becoming increasingly complicated with the growing use of electronic health records (EHRs). While the EHR has shown benefits in some aspects of medical care, these improvements are often at the expense of patient-centered communication. Below are some reflections on this topic, as well as techniques to improve the clinician-patient interaction in the EHR era.

Background Healthcare stakeholders have a great interest in the adoption and use of electronic personal health records (ePHRs) because of the potential benefits associated with them. Little is known, however, about the level of adoption of ePHRs in Canada and there is limited evidence concerning their benefits and implications for the healthcare system. This study aimed to describe the current ...