We're Sorry ... Our New EMR May Screw Up Your Care, But Don't Worry ... Patient Safety Has Not Been Compromised

A sign seen at a hospital system recently (name redacted):

We're Sorry for any "Delays" as we start using our new EMR system ... But as a patient, you'll notice many benefits.   As to risks, nothing to see here ... move along.   (Click to enlarge)

FirstNet is an EMR system for Emergency Departments.

What's missing here is this:

• While "glitches" that can harm you can happen anytime with these systems, at startup time disruptions and malfunctions that could cause injury or death (as reported by FDA, U.S. Institute of Medicine, ECRI Institute per their Deep Dive study of health IT risk and others) are most common;

• Potentially deadly EHR startup "issues" can number in the many thousands (as at this link);

• If you don't want to subject yourself to these delays and/or glitches, you are free to select another hospital for your care. 

• (If you are injured or die as a result of the "Delays", then ... we're Extra-Special With Sugar On Top Sorry?)

In other words, this glib, nonchalant signage is incomplete, and misleading on its face.

While I understand its purpose, it ignores patient rights to informed consent and knowledge of a potentially unsafe environment for care, which hospitals have to prevent as an ethical and legal obligation.

Of course, "please feel free to ask your caregiver if you have any questions" ... who may in fact be limited by contract or edict to only use "Words That Work" to further soothe unsuspecting patients (as at this link).

-- SS