ABSTRACT
To some, the computer has become the equivalent of the stethoscope in healthcare: the ubiquitous, necessary tool that enables providers to embark on their diagnostic and therapeutic journeys. Although it took a while for the stethoscope to reach a peak of adoption and universality, so too will there be a period of adjustment as the electronic health record (EHR) reaches maturity in the marketplace, in the quality of the product, and in the science of correct implementation. As of the writing of this chapter, no consensus exists about the appropriate “lexicon” of functionality of the EHR or about the ideal manner of its adoption.1,2 EHR implementation is a struggle facing all who specialize in healthcare informatics; it also should spur additional inquiry in this eld from all healthcare practitioners invested in improving the current state of medicine in the United States and elsewhere.
