Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Legal Risks of Going Paperless

Gallegos, Alicia. "Legal Risks of Going Paperless." American Medical News, March 5, 2012.

From the article: "System breaches. Modification allegations. E-discovery demands. These issues are becoming common courtroom themes as physicians transition from paper to EMRs, legal experts say. Not only are EMRs becoming part of medical negligence lawsuits, they are creating additional liability….Studies are mixed about how EMRs will impact liability for physicians. A 2010 survey by Conning Research and Consulting, an insurance industry research firm, found that most insurers believe medical claims will rise during the move from paper to electronic records. Lawsuits probably will decrease after an adjustment period, the study said. A report in the Nov. 18, 2010, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine said doctors should expect a varied landscape of liability risks and benefits as EMR adoption unfolds. Whatever the future holds for EMRs, it’s important that doctors reduce their liability risks during system implementation, legal experts say."  Read more