title: Special requirements for electronic medical records in neurology.
abstract: Electronic medical records (EMRs) are being rapidly adapted in the United States with goals of improving patient care, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs. Neurologists must become knowledgeable about the utility and effectiveness of the important parts of these systems specifically needed for care of neurology patients. The field of neurology encompasses complex disorders whose diagnosis and management heavily relies on detailed medical documentation of history and physical examination, and often on specialty-specific ancillary tests and extensive neuroimaging. Small discrepancies in documentation or absence of an in-hand ancillary test result can drastically change the current workup or treatment decision of a complex patient with neurologic disease. We describe current models and opportunities for improvements to EMRs that provide utility and efficiency in the care of neurology patients.
authors.affiliation: Medical Informatics and the Department of Neurology (LHM), University of Washington, Seattle, WA; the Departments of Pediatrics (CAL) and Neurology (JSH), Stanford University; and Clinical Informatics (CAL, JSH), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA.
authors.forename: Lucas H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: Medical Informatics and the Department of Neurology (LHM), University of Washington, Seattle, WA; the Departments of Pediatrics (CAL) and Neurology (JSH), Stanford University; and Clinical Informatics (CAL, JSH), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Longhurst
authors.affiliation: Medical Informatics and the Department of Neurology (LHM), University of Washington, Seattle, WA; the Departments of Pediatrics (CAL) and Neurology (JSH), Stanford University; and Clinical Informatics (CAL, JSH), Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA.
authors.forename: Jin S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hahn