The federal government's push to get doctors and medical providers to use electronic health records rather than paper is not getting universal approval from physicians. A study by the Rand Corp., a non-profit worldwide research group, found that electronic health records, or EHRs, are a mixed bag for doctors. Though doctors in the survey said they believe that EHRs are improving some aspects of quality care for patients, the conversion has increased workloads, been more costly than originally thought and has limited face time with patients. The study, conducted last summer and released in the fall, was sponsored by the American Medical Association, which has lobbied the federal government for more flexibility with EHR mandates.
