Canadian and US Primary Care Physicians Lag in use of Health IT

A new study published in Health Affairs compares the IT use of primary care physicians in 7 countries finding that US physicians have the lowest rates of EMR use, electronic drug interaction checking, preventative services reminders, and several other important markers.  I'm not surprised by these findings as the primary care health system in the US is dysfunctional right now with a premium placed on volume of patients, and little overhead to pay for IT enhancements.  On top of that, IT systems are frequently overpriced and poorly designed and conceived for the primary care setting.  A major emphasis should be placed on continuing to develop simple, effective systems that enhance primary care practice. 


Canadian and U.S. Primary Care Physicians Lag In Use Of Health IT

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