Clinical and translational science sustainability: overcoming integration issues between electronic health records (EHR) and clinical research data management systems "separate but equal".
The use of health information technology (HIT) is growing rapidly for patient care systems required to test, diagnose and treat patients, and to bill for these services. Today's Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are a response to this pressure, enabling feature rich computer-assisted decisions and communication. And even though EHR benefits dramatically outweigh the costs, required investments are nonetheless significant. Continuing to invest in HIT at a revolutionary rate is unsustainable given institutional financial constraints and continuing reimbursement cuts. Future improvements must come from new treatments, test methods, drugs and devices - from research. But data management information systems for clinical research receive less funding than patient care systems, and in less coherent ways. It is easy to imagine using the high cost, patient-based EHRs for clinical research data management, and thus accelerate the speed of translating new medical discoveries into standard practice. But taking this step requires thoughtful planning to overcome significant technology, legal/regulatory, policy, process, and administrative issues.
DiLaura
Robert P
RP
Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio, USA. dilaurr@ccf.org
D035843:Biomedical Research; D003628:Database Management Systems; D006801:Humans; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000191:economics; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000191:economics; D018511:Systems Integration; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States