A Week in Review, July 18

Healthcare IT booming but faces talent drought

[ZDNet] The healthcare IT sector is on a roll but the market's fast demand and growth is hindered by a lack of talent skilled with both clinical and IT know-how, note industry players, who add that clinical analysis, interface management and electronic medical records are some of the most sought-after skills in the industry. Read full story.


The Costs and Implications of EHR System Downtime on Physician Practices

[SYS-CON] Government funding incentives (ARRA HITECH Act) to implement electronic health record systems (EHR) are driving most physicians towards the selection and implementation of EHR applications that are appropriate to their practice. However, even though the average practice takes more than 120 days to select their EHR solution, 87% of practices spend no time evaluating the service levels and uptime associated with these installations, instead leaving this important criterion in the hands of the software provider. Read full story.


Do EHRs leave out your personal story? Social media response

[Healthcare IT News] The idea of a nationwide electronic health record system is brilliant. Patients could use their own personal health record to request prescription refills, schedule future appointments and evaluate their own test results. The record could live on thumb drives, mobile devices, personal computers, or in the cloud. Read full story.