EHRs improve patient outcomes, aid targeted treatment

Physicians who use EHRs are more likely to identify diabetic patients who need more intense drug treatment, according to a study from Kaiser Permanente. Similarly, EHR use was linked to better management of disease risk factors and greater improvements among patients with poor control of their diabetes and lipid levels. The study, which appears in the current issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, is the first to demonstrate how EHRs aid clinicians in better targeting treatment changes and follow-up testing for diabetic patients.The study included 169,711 patients with diabetes. Researchers used a quasi-experimental design that took advantage of outpatient EHR implementation across 17 medical centers in Kaiser Permanente's Northern California system.