Overcoming resistance: Towards the Electronic Patient Record conference

Deciding what information technology software to buy could be easier than getting your practice to use it. Experts offer some advice.

By Tyler Chin, AMNews staff. July 10, 2006.

Reports from conferences important to physicians

Mark Fracasso, MD, a gynecologist in Alexandria, Va., can tell you that his two-doctor office is proof that not every physician, even in the same office, uses information technology to its fullest extent.

Dr. Fracasso said he uses electronic prescribing technology to handle 80% of all the prescriptions he writes, putting the other 20% on paper because of patient preferences. Meanwhile, his practice partner usually uses the technology only for refills.

"I just want to emphasize that just because one physician is interested in using [technology], it doesn't mean that the other will do it." Dr. Fracasso said. "That's going to happen but it's not going to happen right away."

Dr. Fracasso made his remarks at the recent Towards the Electronic Patient Record conference at the Baltimore Convention Center, where about 3,000 physicians, physician office managers, consultants and vendors gathered. They were there, in part, to brainstorm for answers to the question: How do you make sure physicians are getting the most out of their technology?

The broad answer is that physicians must prepare themselves and their staffs well before the purchase of a system for changes, both positive and negative, that will occur with the implementation of new information technology. A theme that ran through many of the educational sessions was that, as difficult as it is for physicians in small practices to drop $20,000 to $30,000 for electronic medical records software, writing the check is actually the easiest part of automating a doctor's clinical practice. The tough part is getting everyone in a practice to use the technology, considering physician and staff resistance not only to the new system but also to changes to the day-to-day routine that system brings.