Regarding "Agreement reached on interoperability specs":

This may be an important foot in the door for driving wider data constructs standards.

The more standardized the data constructs, the easier it is to change electronic health-record system products. Vendors don't like that. They count on propietary vendor data lock to guarantee future revenue streams.

I don't care what the vendors want. I know what I want, and I'm the customer. The wallet is in my pocket.

I want an EHR that works for me more than I work for it.

The easier it is to change EHRs, the more competition will focus on giving clinicians something they actually want enough to keep, and at more affordable non-government-subsidized) prices.

Dr. David Hager

Staff psychiatrist

Kerrville (Texas) State Hospital