I have to call you guys on this whole string. Like a few other respondents, I am an actively practicing surgeon, and a programmer in my spare time, so I know what I am talking about.
The main problem in EHRs is that they are designed by programmers. They are built around databases, and force doctors to change their practice in order to fit the database. ARGH!!! Dumb, DUMB, DUMB!!!
I have been using a huge, nation-wide EHR for 3 years. From the get-go we found that the input was unusable: we had to type about 100 different data elements for each and every patient encounter (think 35 patients/day x 100 data elements: how much time does that leave for the patient exam, or for talking to the patient?) And then the database encounter report was unreadable, leading to real patient safety issues.
The only way my staff (the doctors in my department, of which I am the chairman) could use it was to bypass the database altogether. We now scan in paper notes, or text from a Word document (my preference at present). Neither of these gives searchable data. Sorry folks, get over it.
EHRs should be designed by doctors, to match their practice. PLEASE listen to this. PLEASE start with physician needs, or you will never get a workable product
Where do you think the CO2 goes to, anyway? Most of the trees, leaves and roots rot - they are turned back into CO2 by fungi and bacteria. Much of the rest burns up: remember the wildfires of the Western US this year? Tropical forests have very little organic matter in the ground. If they were soaking up CO2, they would be sitting on top of huge layers of branches and leaves etc. Stable tropical and temperate forests have nearly no net CO2 absorption.
The only thing that matters is NET soakin up of CO2. There are two good ways to get this from forests. First, a Northern forest is usually so cold that a fallen, dead tree does not rot, and turns into peat and eventually (perhaps) coal. Second, PEOPLE CUT DOWN TREES, and turn them into wood products like houses and paper. If this is permanently sequesterd (e.g., into a home), then this CO2 is removed from the atmosphere [as new trees grow to take their place].
So, to reduce the CO2 in the atmosphere, cut down MORE trees to turn into homes.
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I have to call you guys on this whole string. Like a few other respondents, I am an actively practicing surgeon, and a programmer in my spare time, so I know what I am talking about.
The main problem in EHRs is that they are designed by programmers. They are built around databases, and force doctors to change their practice in order to fit the database. ARGH!!! Dumb, DUMB, DUMB!!!
I have been using a huge, nation-wide EHR for 3 years. From the get-go we found that the input was unusable: we had to type about 100 different data elements for each and every patient encounter (think 35 patients/day x 100 data elements: how much time does that leave for the patient exam, or for talking to the patient?) And then the database encounter report was unreadable, leading to real patient safety issues.
The only way my staff (the doctors in my department, of which I am the chairman) could use it was to bypass the database altogether. We now scan in paper notes, or text from a Word document (my preference at present). Neither of these gives searchable data. Sorry folks, get over it.
EHRs should be designed by doctors, to match their practice. PLEASE listen to this. PLEASE start with physician needs, or you will never get a workable product
Where do you think the CO2 goes to, anyway? Most of the trees, leaves and roots rot - they are turned back into CO2 by fungi and bacteria. Much of the rest burns up: remember the wildfires of the Western US this year? Tropical forests have very little organic matter in the ground. If they were soaking up CO2, they would be sitting on top of huge layers of branches and leaves etc. Stable tropical and temperate forests have nearly no net CO2 absorption.
The only thing that matters is NET soakin up of CO2. There are two good ways to get this from forests.
First, a Northern forest is usually so cold that a fallen, dead tree does not rot, and turns into peat and eventually (perhaps) coal.
Second, PEOPLE CUT DOWN TREES, and turn them into wood products like houses and paper. If this is permanently sequesterd (e.g., into a home), then this CO2 is removed from the atmosphere [as new trees grow to take their place].
So, to reduce the CO2 in the atmosphere, cut down MORE trees to turn into homes.