Doctors Find Barriers to Sharing Digital Medical Records

Doctors and hospital executives across the country say they are distressed that the expensive electronic health record systems they installed in the hopes of reducing costs and improving the coordination of patient care -- a major goal of the Affordable Care Act -- simply do not share information with competing systems. The issue is especially critical now as many hospitals and doctors scramble to install the latest versions of their digital record systems to demonstrate to regulators starting Oct 1 that they can share some patient data. Those who cannot will face reductions in Medicare reimbursements down the road.