Bob Herman

National Nurses United has launched a media campaign criticizing the effects of what it called “digitalized care.” The multipronged campaign specifically criticizes electronic health records and bedside computers, saying they “too often fail” and lead to diagnoses and treatments based on “generic population trends” instead of individualized assessments.

The campaign also references a December report from HHS' Office of Inspector General, which said EHRs allow hospitals and physicians to cover up fraud or medical malpractice. Studies have come down on both sides of the tech debate.

A recent analysis in the Annals of Emergency Medicine said EHRs in emergency rooms potentially overwhelm physicians, leading to self-reported increases of wrong orders. However, other studies, such as one in 2013 in BMJ Quality & Safety, said digitized records have the ability to help hospitals improve patient care, such as by reducing readmissions.