A patient record, with X-rays and EKG tracings at the doctor's fingertips, can be too huge a data file to download. And security is not yet good enough to protect patient records on the Web. The system has to change. Still, indications are that, when done well, such systems increase quality. The VA's computer system goes beyond error prevention, for instance, and reminds doctors of the latest care criteria for disease like diabetes and high blood pressure.
More study is needed to determine why the benefits began to decline over time.
Now it's much more complex. But by following computer prompts to examine diabetics' feet and analyze their blood, he and other VA doctors believe they can reduce the number of amputations and heart attacks their patients suffer. The concept is based on findings from studies in the medical literature. But unless they are involved in the groundbreaking research, doctors are historically slow to implement new treatments that are detailed in printed guidelines. Computer reminders go in very quickly and create a more uniform type of care.