On EHR Data Integrity: A Patient's Perspective

Now that portions of patient EHRs and visit summaries are available via portals and meaningful use requirements, not only will the organizations’ internal users be complaining about system flaws, poor configurations or outstanding training issues — but so will the external users, the patients and recipients of the health information.

It’s time our industry professionals address the integrity of the information, not just the technical and operational mechanisms for the sending and receiving of the information.

I am a patient at two local healthcare provider organizations that both use a well-known suite of clinical information system modules for the organizations’ base electronic health record systems (EHRs). When I visit my providers at both organizations, I receive a hardcopy summary of my visit. Among many items listed on the summary are Current/Future/Recurring Orders.