Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Maybe that's because we (software engineers) are not providing them value?

As far as I can tell, the EMR system my surgeons & doctors use is solely a hindrance to his workflow as compared to paper charts. I'm sure it's easier for the people/computers processing paperwork and billing on the backend, but for the doctors and nurses in the room all I've heard so far are complaints. From my observation, the UI/UX of the whole thing is terrible. I'm actually embarrassed by it as a member of the profession.




Sadly, the EMR is not made for your surgeons - it is made for the people doing billing. EMRs are good at capturing the data that is needed to get as many dollars as possible from insurance companies. It is only recently that quality of care metrics have had any impact on billing (Gross oversimplification - Under the ACA Medi[care/caid] payments can be limited for low quality care). Prior to the ACA the increased costs of making good EMR workflows for providers was a net negative from a hospital revenue perspective.


This is super true. There's not a lot of proof of business models for healthcare IT outside of billing. If you try it you'll quickly learn that a practice or hospital's interaction with insurers is the most important one they have.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2025 batch! Applications are open till May 13

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: