Information Sharing in Primary Healthcare

The push to electronic patient information systems to share information between the players in primary health care is not a bad thing, although some implementations may give rise to concern (see: patients-privacy-could-be-compromised ). A peer-reviewed paper on the subject quantifies the effects of the missing information.

Clinicians reported missing clinical information in 13.6% of visits; missing information included laboratory results (6.1% of all visits), letters/dictation (5.4%), radiology results (3.8%), history and physical examination (3.7%), and medications (3.2%). Missing clinical information was frequently reported to be located outside their clinical system but within the United States (52.3%), to be at least somewhat likely to adversely affect patients (44%), and to potentially result in delayed care or additional services (59.5%).

Missing Clinical Information During Primary Care Visits Peter C. Smith, MD; Rodrigo Araya-Guerra, BA; Caroline Bublitz, MS; Bennett Parnes, MD; L. Miriam Dickinson, PhD; Rebecca Van Vorst, BA; John M. Westfall, MD, MPH; Wilson D. Pace, MD JAMA. 2005;293:565-571

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