Healthcare in the US, with the backing of the government, is currently focused on automation and standardization of clinical workflow. The government believes that by the end of 2014, every American would be utilizing EMRs, with enhanced EMR adoption rates reported.

Yet, physicians are still hesitant when it comes to using EMRs and I don’t blame them. Physicians under training as well as those practicing have never been known to be tech-savvy and have never been educated or trained to work on medical technologies.

A New Jersey based physician states, “Doctors are not against adopting technology, they just fear the disconnection EMR may cause between the patients and themselves”.

There is no doubt that Electronic Medical Records have come a long way from being the simple tool to document patient records. Enabling consistent care opportunity and improved interaction, EMR systems are effectively creating a healthcare network or rather, one central point of care for patients and their care delivery.

By reducing unnecessary workload and clinical errors, Electronic Health Records benefit physicians in more than one way. Systems now feature built-in alerts to provide safety checks and cross checks against patients past medical history. Operations are streamlined in accordance with medical standards and government regulations dictating these operations and daily workflows.

Although many physicians are still hesitant in utilizing modern technologies such as EMRs and EHRs, there are more who acknowledge the myriad of benefits that these technologies present. With that said, the real obstacle is not to garner technology trust, but to reduce the fear that comes with change.