My personal experiences working in the health IT industry

As many of you know, I have a passion for technology and that's why I blog about things related to medicine and technology, medical smartphones, and mobile computers like tablet PCs and notebook computers. Some of you have asked me about my personal experiences in the world of health IT, so allow me to discuss some of the things I've done in the past.

Today, I'll focus on two main areas: EHRs/EMRs and PHRs.

Electronic Health / Medical Records (EHR/EMR)

• Consulted for physicians to help them select and implement an EHR in their practice.
• Guided the selection process including EHR software and hardware requirements.
• Outlined modifications to improve clinical workflow efficiencies around the use of an EHR. 
• Developed templates and tools to help office staff improve EHR utilization efficiency.
  
• Implemented and upgraded EHR software in small medical practices.
• Made recommendations about modifying computer hardware configurations for different EHR solutions based on the needs of the practice.
• Participated in hospital committees involved in making inpatient decisions as the hospital transitioned from paper charts to electronic records and computerized physician order entry (CPOE).

Personal Health Records (PHRs)

• Incorporated health risk assessment (HRA) information to an individual's PHR to risk-stratify individual patients for specific conditions.
• Utilized the PHR information to drive health portal customization and educational consumer health information.
  
• Developed computer-based disease management programs that were customized and tailored based on specific PHR data fields.
  
• Integrated the use of a PHR to tailor electronic reminder messages about specific disease conditions.
• Automated how PHRs are updated based on electronic health claims information from major insurance companies.
• Developed an incentive program for individuals who were regularly updating their PHR data and actively engaging in health education and disease management.

I'm still involved in consulting for physicians, medical groups, and companies that are interested in leveraging health IT to improve their workflow. There are so many opportunities especially in the area of mobile health, the Internet, consumer health and disease management, and the integration of health information to measure and improve patient health outcomes. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing a bit more about my experiences working with health portals and leveraging mobile wireless technology to improve patient care.