October 2009

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations states that medication errors continue to be one of the most frequent causes of preventable harm in healthcare. As Tangalos sees it, electronic and IT solutions hold the greatest promise to eliminate these errors.

Surveys show that more than 90% of US hospitals do not use even a basic EHR, despite the improvements to efficiency, care coordination, and patient safety to be gained by implementing an EHR. Some hospitals, however, have been quick to recognize the benefits of EHRs, and have already taken steps to prepare for a paperless future.

As hospital medicine continues to evolve and grow as a specialty, hospitalist groups are looking to branch out and provide more services.