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Experts discuss the problem of inadequate medical records during the Annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference in New Orleans

March 2007 (Medialink) -- Using technology may be second nature to most Americans, but when we step inside the healthcare system, most vital health records are still being recorded and monitored the old fashioned way - by hand.

This technological gap in healthcare is not only inefficient and costly, it is also deadly. In fact, the Institute of Medicine reports 1.5 million Americans are injured or killed each year, the result of medication errors. The way to stem the tide- according to many healthcare experts - is to create a national health information infrastructure.

The Department of Health has called for such an infrastructure - including electronic health records (EHRs) - for every American within the next decade.

The location for this year's conference holds extra significance, as not only do EHRs affect patient care on a day to day basis, but NOT having them in place during catastrophic events- like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes - any disaster, be it man made or naturally occurring - can prove deadly.

Did you know?

  As many as 98,000 Americans are killed every year by preventable medical errors.

  Less than 1/3 of all U.S. hospitals and 20% of physician offices have any form of electronic data handling capacity

  Medication errors cost 3.5 billion dollars in damages every year.

  Forty-nine percent of hospital I.T. decision makers say disaster recovery is an I.T. priority