The term "electronic health records" comes with an obvious acronym -- EHR -- that now resonates with regularity in hospitals in Connecticut and across the country, as well as with medical malpractice experts, insurers and officials from a host of medical organizations and regulatory agencies.

To the despair of its advocates, much of the discussion centered on EHR systems fixates like a laser on what is going wrong -- not right -- in medical facilities as new technologies are being introduced and supplanting traditional provider-patient communications.

EHRs: Growing Pains Enroute to a Hopeful Future

The EHR concept was relatively simple when introduced a few short years ago, with a clear statement of the benefits expected to be reaped. The premise: Use high-tech software and new interactive systems to drag an anachronistic medical record-keeping system into the 21st century.

And, in doing so, realize the many benefits associated with that, chiefly these: cheaper, safer and more efficient medical care; fewer acts of medical malpractice; better communication among medical facilities; and a marked increase in optimal patient outcomes.

Has that played out?

According to diverse and growing criticism, not exactly, and certainly not yet.

Criticisms abound, with vetted barbs coming from groups that include the American College of Physicians, the Institute of Medicine and the American Medical Association (AMA). Jabs have been aimed at clunky interfaces, inappropriate software, data-transmission problems, transcribed prescription errors and myriad other glitches.

The AMA flatly states in a recent report that EHR systems are "linked to errors and harm."

The Road Forward for EHRs

Despite the stumbles, few EHR analysts express doubt that the new technologies will continue to proliferate in medical settings and are here to stay.

Notwithstanding that, this caveat from the AMA report rings loud and clear as EHR systems make further inroads into hospitals and clinics:

"It is not yet clear ... the extent to which health IT will improve patient safety in ambulatory care versus generating new types of errors."

Source: Information Week, "EHRs linked to errors, harm, AMA says" Ken Terry, Jan. 13, 2012