Ken Terry

The challenge of new technology - as in the example of robot-assisted surgery - is that costly innovations often become the standard of care before there’s sufficient evidence to tell whether they add real value that justifies their expense.

Small physician practices are less likely than big groups to have electronic medical records-and there’s a reason that goes beyond cost. They lack the resources and the technical knowledge to implement these complex systems. The support and training that vendors offer is frequently inadequate, especially for physicians who aren’t especially computer-savvy. And the vendors freely admit that they don’t have sufficient staff to cope with the expected influx of new EHR buyers who want to show meaningful use by 2011, when the government incentives start flowing.