Electronic health record adoption has passed 50 percent in the United States; however, some states deserve more credit than others. This infographic by Health Biz Decoded breaks down which states have the highest EHR and e-prescribing rates, and which have some catching up to do.
Since 2011, according to the agency, providers have checked drug and medication interactions to ensure patient safety more than 40 million times through the use of EHRs. Providers have also shared more than 4.3 million care summaries with other providers when patients moved between care settings.
Bon Secours in Virginia is among the nation's first health systems to be recognized by HIMSS Analytics for having physician clinics attain Stage 7 of the EMR Adoption Model, which charts a path to a fully paperless medical records environment.
Under current FDA regulations, generic manufacturers cannot update their products' labeling, even if they become aware of a potential risk not stated in the labeling.
Older patients taking statins should not be prescribed the antibiotics clarithromycin or erythromycin due to increased risk for statin toxicity, according to a study published in the June 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Starting next year, the Affordable Care Act sets maximum limits on how much consumers can be required to pay out-of-pocket annually for their medical care. But some people with high drug costs may find the limits don't protect them yet. That's because the federal government is giving some health plans extra time to comply with the rules.
Since late 2010, when the diabetes drug Avandia was removed from the market in Europe because of its cardiovascular risks, approximately 132,000 Americans have been prescribed this dangerous drug, likely resulting in hundreds, or more, serious - and sometimes fatal - adverse reactions, including heart failure and heart attacks.
Using an e-prescribing system integrated with its EHR, East Lake Pediatrics in Trinity, Fla., not only cuts down on wait times for patients, but improves efficiency for physicians and staff as well.
