EHRs deemed 'essential' to pediatric healthcare

The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling electronic health records and other information technology "essential" to success of the medical home model of providing quality healthcare management for children. Likewise, IT systems must be able to support the goals of the medical home, according to the professional society. "Medical home information-management systems must facilitate accurate, real-time collection, storage, retrieval, review, and communication of patient health information over time and across providers. For pediatrics, the core of such systems is a lifelong, electronic health record," according to an AAP policy statement in the May issue of Pediatrics.