4 Lesser Known Problems With EHRs

Although the healthcare industry continues to transition from paper to electronic health records, many patients and even some providers remain unaware of their imperfections, according to a recent post in the Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch.

The article, which outlines "10 things your medical records won't say" flags several problems endemic to EHRs that have received a lot of media attention, such as high costs and physicians' dissatisfaction with the systems. However, several of the problems noted have received less attention and are not readily apparent, especially to consumers.

• It can be easier to make mistakes with an EHR: Industry insiders may know that EHR functionalities designed to make documentation easier--such as copy and paste or automatic template completion--can create unintended consequences that can impact patient safety. However, that has not received much attention in mainstream media...