The medical marketplace still has not embraced EMRs with open arms despite the entry by Microsoft and Google. Who says change isn't hard?

The idea of EMRs originated about 40 years ago. Hospitals have tended to be the first to incorporate EMRs in one form or another, but most of the time the technology they use is non standardized which makes it hard to share data between neighboring hospitals never mind between doctor's offices and patients homes. It's similar to attempting to transfer data from a PC to a Mac in the old days.

Furthermore, both doctors and patients have been slow to adopt this technology for a multitude of reasons including privacy and security issues. We hesitate to say it, but it's no surprise...the medical establishment prefers the status quo.

However, EMRs are back in the limelight again because of the involvement of the digital gorillas, namely Google Health, only to fold later, and Microsoft's HealthVault. We especially like Dr. Bill Crounse's take on this important issue as evidenced in a recent HealthBlog.

With U.S. President Obama's recent declaration on January 20th, that "…we will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders to raise healthcare's quality and lower its costs," ... there is hope for change!