So you're ready to computerize. Get your feet wet When it comes to the sea of computer technology, Peter Geerlofs, MD, of Port Townsend, WA, recommends wading in a step at a time. He practiced rural family medicine for 14 years and later founded Medifor, a company dedicated to an incremental, modular approach to clinical computing, focusing first on patient education.
Many inexpensive features can offer big benefits.
Converting to an electronic medical record incrementally may help the intimidated FP feel more comfortable with technology, says Dr. Geerlofs. Jump right in On the other hand, Todd Swanson, MD, clinical associate professor at the University of Wisconsin medical school's Eau Claire Family Practice Residency, reminds FPs that sometimes it's easier to take a deep breath and jump in. He should know. The electronic medical record requires everybody to become computer literate and change how they do things. He suggests that family physicians planning to computerize do so over the course of a year.