FEATURE
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS
Drive Me Crazy!
David Dageforde, MD
(This story is fictional, to offer my thoughts on EHR)
“B
en, my doctor walks into the
exam room, sits at his com-
puter and types, rather than
sit next to me and talk face-
to-face. I know you do not
practice medicine like so many of the other
young doctors, even though I am biased since
you are my grandson. I am 93 years old and it
is hard for me to find someone to take me to and from the doctor’s
office. And when I arrive at the doctor’s office, it is very impersonal.
I miss my old doctor. He knew me, and I knew he cared about me
as a person, not a number.” requirements to meet. And since I am a surgeon, I also have to
keep my hospital records updated in addition to my office records.”
Grandma has a point. She saw one doctor for 60 years before
he retired, and he sat next to her in the exam room and talked to
her face-to-face. He did not have to worry about electronic health
records or even about making sure he spent no more than 15-20
minutes with a patient. Now, Grandma has a younger doctor, state-
of-the-art professionally trained; however, her new doctor is required
to keep his electronic medical records up-to-date and stay on time
with his patient schedule. Beeeeeeeeeeeep - 5 a.m. - my phone alarm goes off because I have
to be at the starting line by 7 a.m. “See you after the race, Grandma,”
I shouted as I left her house. “Be careful; I love you,” she responded,
even though it is only 5:30 in the morning.
“OK, Grandma, you have a point; but I have the same problems
as your new doctor. Even though I am your grandson and you
think I never interact that way with my patients, I have the same
12
LOUISVILLE MEDICINE
EHR - those dreaded initials for Electronic Health Records. I
think they were supposed to help make health records more por-
table, more accessible and more accurate; but in reality they seem
to take more of the doctor’s time and test the perseverance of both
the doctor and his or her patient.
My marathon is tomorrow and since my grandma lives in that
city, I wanted to stay and visit with her. Although I had a hectic
month with work and training for this race, I feel ready to go. I just
need a good night’s sleep.
The start gun fires and I am off. Cool morning and I feel good.
WOW - I just passed the half-way way mark and the sun is really
heating up the road. I don’t feel as good as I did earlier. Mile 20 -
not sure I can make it; I am exhausted. I feel like I am behind on
fluids and so wiped out. What is going on? I am dizzy; I feel like I
am going to pass out…
“This is Trauma Room 1 - St. Aloysius ER - give me your status