Plan A didn't materialize -- but Plan B waits in the wings. So says AAFP EVP Douglas Henley, M.D., regarding the Academy's proposed electronic health record project, first announced to members in the March FP Report. (See story at http://www.aafp.org/fpr/20030300/3.html.)
The AAFP Board of Directors envisioned the establishment of an independent foundation that would develop, distribute and support an affordable open-source EHR.
"The involvement of other medical associations was crucial to the formation of the foundation," says Henley. "Unfortunately, we couldn't get that core group of folks together to raise the initial funds necessary."
Undaunted, the AAFP team working on the EHR project is regrouping. EHR was on the agenda for the July Board meeting, and a new EHR proposal will be sent to the Board for review in September.
"The Board has made it abundantly clear that the AAFP will try to move the project forward in some form," says Henley. Stay tuned for details.
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