New Mexico implements EMR systems in public health offices

The New Mexico Department of Health has implemented electronic medical record systems in its public health offices despite concerns about cost and privacy during this year’s legislative session, The Santa Fe New Mexican reported July 28.

 

Governor Bill Richardson is urging the state legislature to support adoption of a similar system in the private medical sector, according to the article. The New Mexico Medical Society supports his proposal.

 

Health department physicians say the new system allows them to devote more time to patient care, the newspaper reported. The department received $750,000 to implement the system. It also received a $900,000 grant to help private physician practices with the cost of implementing similar systems and 122 practices are already doing so.

 

An HHS national survey indicates that electronic records helped improve the quality of clinical decisions in 82% of cases in which they were used, according to the article.