Premier Medical Organizations Announce Formation of Physicians Electronic Health Record Coalition

Jack Pope, ACP
(202) 261-4556
jpope@mail.acponline.org

Washington - Fourteen preeminent medical organizations, representing more than 500,000 U.S. physicians, announced the creation of the Physicians Electronic Health Record Coalition (PEHRC) today. This groundbreaking health care coalition will assist physicians, particularly those in small- and medium-size ambulatory care medical practice, to acquire and use affordable, standards-based electronic health records and other health information technology to improve quality, enhance patient safety and increase efficiency.

The acronym of QUALITY defines the PEHRC's guiding principles:

Quality
Usability
Affordability
Long term commitment
Interoperability
Trust - Data stewardship, financial stability, integrity
Yield - Work must provide tangible benefits for physicians

The PEHRC is committed to taking practical steps to educate physicians about the value and best use of electronic health records (EHR), to assist doctors in selection of systems, and to help focus the market on high quality and affordable products. Additionally, the PEHRC will work to participate in the development of the EHR certification process.

"Our patients deserve doctors who have access to the most modern and connected electronic health record system available," says PEHRC co-chair David C. Kibbe, M.D., American Academy of Family Physicians. "While physicians are adopting information technology in growing numbers, there remain substantial economic and technical barriers to full-scale deployment of electronic health records, especially in small- and medium-size medical practices. The PEHRC will allow physicians to address these barriers with a unified voice, and be powerful advocates for putting health information technology in the service of quality of care."

"The Physicians Electronic Health Record Coalition is essential to advancing the adoption of EHRs in every physician's office," says PEHRC co-chair Peter Basch, M.D., American College of Physicians. "With the PEHRC's help, we have the potential of offering every doctor the tools and assistance needed to implement state-of-the-art technology to improve health care quality. Our patients must have no less."

Founding PEHRC members are:

American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Cardiology
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
American College of Physicians
American College of Rheumatology
American Medical Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Urological Association