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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> US /non CH - Computerized National Health Database
        
(Message started by: floridian on Apr 28^th, 2004, 9:57am)

Title: US /non CH - Computerized National Health Database
Post by floridian on Apr 28^th, 2004, 9:57am

Not sure about this idea - a cental database might prevent medical errors, make it easier to do epidemeology and public health research, etc. Privacy concerns loom large. And if the IRS computerization project is a guide, the Feds will spend billions of dollars over the next decade, and have a system that doesn't do a fraction of what was promised.

Quote:

Bush Pushes For Computerized Health Records
President Promotes Plan To Computerize Records Within Decade

POSTED: 4:48 p.m. EDT April 27, 2004
President George W. Bush says America's medical technology may be tops, but its medical record-keeping is stuck in the "buggy era."

He made that observation on a visit to Baltimore's Veterans Affairs Medical Center, promoting a plan to computerize most of America's medical records within a decade.

In a discussion with doctors, patients and health officials, the president promised to name a federal coordinator for information technology.

Bush held up the VA as a pioneering example in the field. The Baltimore hospital implemented a computerized medical records system in 1997.

The message echoes that which Bush presented Monday in Minneapolis. He said that while the United States is at the forefront of many medical advances, the way doctors and hospitals do business hasn't kept up.

"The 21st-century health care system is using a 19th-century paperwork system," Bush said.

The result is that files get misplaced and problems with drug interactions aren't systematically checked, among other problems.

"These old methods of keeping records are real threats to patients and their safety and are incredibly costly," he said.

Implementing a system where everyone has their own personal electronic medical record will protect patients, improve care and reduce cost, he said.

Bush acknowledged that patient privacy is a concern and a top priority.

Not all doctors are ready to jump on board the electronic record-keeping train, either.

Dr. Marc Seigel, an associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine, said he has concerns about a national health care databanking system.

"I'm all for electronic data. It makes facilitation easier, but I'm concerned about patient privacy issues," said Seigel, who has a private clinic in New York.

He said electronic records might lose sight of patient privacy -- records might get shipped to specialists or related doctors without express patient permission.

remainder of article at: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/3243106/detail.html

Title: Re: US /non CH - Computerized National Health Data
Post by thomas on Apr 28^th, 2004, 10:01am

Just another chance for the Government to ruin my life, no thanks.. But thanks for the heads up.

Title: Re: US /non CH - Computerized National Health Data
Post by Charlie on Apr 28^th, 2004, 5:49pm

Join the rest of the civilized world by adopting national health and you can count me in.

Charlie

Title: Re: US /non CH - Computerized National Health Data
Post by floridian on Apr 28^th, 2004, 7:43pm

Quote:

Join the rest of the civilized world by adopting national health and you can count me in.

Well, if were not careful, it may be just the opposite ... with a better centralized database, it will be easier for the insurance companies to deny coverage or raise rates based on their statistics and your health history. ö

Title: Re: US /non CH - Computerized National Health Data
Post by Kirk on Apr 28^th, 2004, 7:51pm

It has been posited by a far smarter man than myself that. "The government cannot do something for you, unless it does something to you."

Neer as I have been able to discern he was right.

[smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: US /non CH - Computerized National Health Data
Post by Edski_1 on Apr 29^th, 2004, 10:42am

The benefits of such a system would be great, but so would the risk. Certainly the potential for abuse by insurance companies would be a very real danger. If sucha database would be available to ONLY healthcare providers that issue could be mitigated.

But I remeber the issues as a programmer in the dental field, and how HIPPA affected things. Technically, as programmers, we were not supposed to have access to patient information. Supposedly we were *supposed* to created a test database and garble the names, addresses, and other information to render the patient histories fictional...but what a hassle that would present for actually testing new programs!

I think that was an unexpected consequence of HIPPA, a good idea that was implemented with blinders on. More than likely a government led effort to computerize medical records would similarly be implemented with shocking lack of foresight. The larger the project the harder it is to see all the potential pitfalls. And as the sums of money invested in the project escalate, so does the impatience of getting it going...and the the probablility that things get overlooked.

Is anyone familiar with the VA controversy over the new accounting software they are trying to test here in St Pete Florida, at the Bay Pines VA hospital? So poorly implemented that it's causing serious delays in getting patient care delivered. And they decided to test it at one of the busiest VA Hospitals. The VA had earmarked HALF A BILLION DOLLARS for this project, and already spent nearly a QUARTER BILLION. The program was poorly concieved, poorly written, and whoever decided to test it at such a busy facility is certainly a first class moron. Essentailly all the money spent so far has been wasted.

So we have an example of the government trying to replace the data management system at VA Hospitals gone totally wrong. Huge amounts of money squandered, and patient care severly eroded. And we're to think the gov't would be able to create and manage a national healthcare database?

Puh-leeez. Budget pressures alone would doom this effort before it even got started.

BTW, here's a link to one story regarding the infamous CoreFLS project that has been such a disaster:

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/06/Tampabay/Official_quits_VA_ove.shtml