EMR "electronic medical records"

Ah yes, the practice I am associated with has made the big transition to EMR's. Most of the time having the chart absolutely available all the time is wonderful. I am never searching for a paper chart. I am never looking for stuff that hasn't been filed properly. I am never looking for paper that hasn't been filed yet. HOWEVER, the 1 tenth of a percent when there is a server failure, I am left with nothing. That is not even a hint of what has gone on in the past. I don't know what labs have been drawn (of course they come electronically). I don't know the estimated date of delivery. I don't know any of the psycho-social history. I don't know anything that I can't remember on my own. Now you may be getting a hint of the fact that there has been a server failure in my practice and you would be so right. When this happens you scribble notes to yourself on little pieces of paper and put those pieces of paper into folders to be addressed later (when the server has been repaired). This doesn't sound bad, except that this went on for most of December, off and on so now that I have a few days where I am not at the birthing barn, I'm tied to the computer trying to get my nose above the surface so that I will be able to function in the new year. YUCK. I do love electronic records when they work well, but when they don't work it makes life absolutely awful.