By Lynn Hatter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-997025.mp3
Tallahassee FL – Florida's electronic medical record system is getting a competitor. Lynn Hatter reports a group of doctors and hospital officials has unveiled its version of a program for transporting records that will directly compete with one set up by the state.
The Florida Health Data Network is driven by local healthcare providers, and they say they don't need the state to help them connect to one another other. The Data Network's Dan Kaelin says the state has essentially copied what his group has been doing for years.
"We've been exchanging demographic and clinical data since 2007. The current state effort is duplicating existing systems that are sending a confusing message to providers and creating unusable systems, and asking the citizens to pay for it."
The data network is geared toward connecting local providers to one another, and is backed by the Florida Medical and Hospital Associations. They're opposed to the state system, which they say is too expensive and doesn't serve local providers well. The state system has contracts with several regional healthcare groups, and has even contracted with private hospital chains.
