Dear Colleagues,
We know from our conversations with family physicians across the nation how interested you are in acquiring electronic health record (EHR) systems and using modern health information technology (HIT) to improve quality of care, enhance patient safety, and increase practice efficiency. The comprehensive EHR is viewed as the "central nervous system" of the New Model of Family Medicine, the centerpiece of the Future of Family Medicine project, our profession’s ambitious effort to redesign ambulatory care medicine in the early 21st century. Make no mistake about it, family physicians take this goal of HIT adoption very seriously!
However, this transition is not an easy one. Family physicians must overcome significant barriers that stand between current paper-based office workflows and successful EHR implementation. To realize the benefits that computerization can bring -- such as improved access to patient health information, lower overhead costs for managing care, and commensurate gains in quality and convenience -- it is essential to carefully investigate and select the vendors and products that are right for you.
The new Center for Health Information Technology Web site is intended to provide you with the informational resources, interactive tools, and – most important – a network of hundreds of colleagues in the United States and around the world who have successfully implemented EHRs, to help make this transition less expensive and easier to manage.
We recognize how important it is for you to find a physician like you and a practice like yours when you are looking for an EHR and other HIT products. Our one-of-a-kind online Physician Product Reviews will let you do just that. Use this service to locate products most appropriate to your practice size and location, to examine multi-faceted reviews from family physicians like yourself who have purchased and installed these systems, and to contact AAFP members to delve deeper into their appraisal of their HIT experiences.
In addition to the product reviews, you’ll find an online Readiness Assessment that will help you determine your practice’s stage of adoption and provide you with a personalized pathway to prepare your practice and select products and services. You will also find a growing library of HIT resources from some of the most experienced and innovative individuals, organizations, and companies – and lots more.
Please help us make this Web site your best resource on HIT in family medicine by providing us your feedback and comments. Together we can succeed in making the transition to a better future for family medicine and the patients we serve.
With kind regards,
Steven Waldren, MD