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Study: Using EMRs not enough to improve quality of care

EHR Connection, June 18, 2007

Simply using EMRs will not improve the quality of care, a new study in the May/June Annals of Family Medicine suggests. Rather, it's how clinicians use them and whether they are part of an overall improvement plan.

The study examined the care of 927 patients with chronic diabetes in 50 physician practices and found that patient care in the 37 practices not using an EMR was more likely to meet guidelines for process, treatment, and intermediate outcomes than in the 13 practices that did use an EMR. According to the study authors, contrary to conventional thought about EMR, "usage was associated with poorer adherence to the diabetes quality of care measures examined." The authors conclude that EMR expansion efforts should include "developing methods for implementing and integrating this technology into practice."

However, the study also indicated that diabetes care had marked room for improvement across the board. To read the entire study, go to the Annals of Family Medicine Web site.

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