On Sat, 04 Jan 2003 08:15:43 -0700 David Forslund <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
We should be able to have full interoperability between CERNER and VistA so that one could build a federated medical record system with both. One should not have to use only one system in all hospitals. We all will be losers if this is the result. Integrating heterogeneous systems is needed if we are to really succeed in healthcare. I think the open source community needs to take the lead in this area.Disagree with this. There are some VERY big advantages to a unified, standard, system (Note: NOT a monolithic one) such as training, interoperability, and standard user interfaces. As was pointed out in an insightful article by Retchin SM, Wenzel RP. Electronic medical record systems at academic health centers: advantages and implementation issues. Acad Med 1999; 74(5):493-498 as well as myself independently in houston psychiatric society, hospital personnel frequently don't work in only one hospital. I work at 5 different ones every month. Knowing a new interface for each is ridiculous.
-- Ignacio Valdes, MD, MS
-- Editor Linux Medical News
-- http://www.linuxmednews.com
