Government Healthcare Policy, Business and Technology

Pew to ONC: Fix pediatric EHRs to avoid dangerous medical mistakes

Healthcare IT News: The Pew Charitable Trusts on Friday called on Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT head Donald Rucker, MD, to focus on electronic health records safety particular to pediatric patients as it institutes a voluntary certification program.

“The use of EHRs has contributed to new, unanticipated safety concerns that were not present with paper-based records, and left some safety hazards unmitigated,” Pew wrote in the letter to Rucker. “Many of these safety challenges directly affect care for pediatric patients.”

Pew’s letter was cosigned by the American College Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Medical Group Association, American Nurses Association, and Children’s Hospital Association.

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