The digitization of our health care system is under way, but several obstacles frustrate efforts to take full advantage of the health information revolution, says Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, M.D., in a new Experts blog post in the Wall Street Journal. These include cultural and economic barriers to health information exchange, such as the reluctance of some providers to make it easier for patients to switch doctors and hospitals.
Blumenthal discusses the regulatory steps needed for patients to gain control of their medical records and outlines a potential role for certified third parties to manage patient data.