I realize that Data Warehouses and BI will help us normalize our data, but for most of us, Clinical data warehouses are not much more than a pipe dream. The emphasis for years has only been on financial data warehouses.

I’m just sayin’

Although other industries seem to have been able to incorporate workable solutions for data transfer exchanges (banking ATMs come to mind) it continues to be a struggle for healthcare. The fear of problematic integrations, finger pointing (who’s problem is is?) and the IT Vendor’s strength and control over their customers are all aspects adding to the chanllenge.

ED is the department that has spawned this discussion but as I mentioned earlier, anesthesia documentation is right on ED’s heels. With only 10% of the market penetrated there is going to be big push to move anesthesia care to an electronic charting solution. Some vendors (Meditech) have told their customers that they do not have a solution and there is not one on their roadmap so that creates an integration opportunity for single vendors, their clients and BoBs.

HIT – as you mentioned earlier – if you have a good solution, word will get out and you have the opportunity to be succesful. But then you have to deliver…

So do Deborah Peel and Jonathan Bush. I’ve had the pleasure of talking with and/or hearing them speak publicly on numerous occasions. Both are extremely articulate and exquisitely passionate. Both seem bent upon “doing the right thing” for the healthcare world. Both are intellectual heavyweights.

Maybe a little boxing match…er…healthy debate would help the Privacy vs. Data Sharing conversation. Maybe Mr. H would consider stepping into the ring…er…forum as referee…er…moderator. Bet it’d be a great fight…er…discussion.

Community hospitals do not have the IT staff to burn on figuring out interface engines and HL7 connections. HL7 was supposed to be the great leveler, a vanilla solution. Yeah sure, in what universe? If HL7 is so easy, why do hospitals and vendors have so many interface issues? How many different variations are there on vanilla? A lot.

Maybe we should ask Dr. Fontanetta how many interfaces (let alone integrations) between his system and the EMR has he developed for EDIMS? Does EDIMS pass ED generated drug orders, allergy information or physician documentation to an EMR. I will bet you a buck that they don’t offer that.

(I’m an engineer and avoided English classes. I never use the word hyperbole, my computer suggested it).