Where does the future need to take EMRs and PHRs?

As pioneers in the EHR and PMR industry, we have the unique perspective and opportunity to be involved in the "revolution" of healthcare delivery... Are we too early? or Are we too late?

Healthcare is a large continuum that snags and encircles many components from the business end to institutional interests, government, payors, providers, internet "dot commers", web 2.0 , and ultimately consumers... For all of these interested parties to change the accountability, delivery, recording, accuracy, safety, efficiency, there has to be market profitability. The best business minds will win this battle. The best business models understand the unique interactions and behavioral patterns of both physicians, patients, hospital administrators, and third party payors...Physicians with a business acumen may be the most appropriate to head these initiatives...

How does the internet and the digital age impact doctors and patients at the end of the day? How should it impact doctors and patients?
Will doctors adopt and will patients utilize?

How can we make doctors more rapidly adopt? And equally important how can we get patient "buy in" and utilization?

What needs to be done.....

1. Decision support capabilities with alerts and reminders
2. Using clinical data to support research and P4P
3. Phasing in personal health records
4. Improving access, connectivity, data entry, data retrieval and utilization for docs, patients and payors
5. Incorporating medication management
6. Remove cost barriers and time barriers
7. Better interoperability amongst data systems
8. Incentivize, Incentivize , and Incentivize