Press Release

July 22, 2004

Contact: Jana Del Valle, AAFP
(800) 274-2237, Ext. 5204
jdelvall@aafp.org

Jack Pope, ACP
(202) 261-4556
jpope@mail.acponline.org

Premier Medical Organizations Announce Formation of

Physicians Electronic Health Record Coalition

Washington — Fourteen preeminent medical organizations, representing more than 500,000 U.S. physicians, announced the creation of the Physicians Electronic Health Record Coalition (PEHRC) today. This groundbreaking health care coalition will assist physicians, particularly those in small- and medium-size ambulatory care medical practice, to acquire and use affordable, standards-based electronic health records and other health information technology to improve quality, enhance patient safety and increase efficiency.

The acronym of QUALITY defines the PEHRC's guiding principles:

Q uality

U sability

A ffordability

L ong term commitment

I nteroperability

T rust – Data stewardship, financial stability, integrity

Y ield – Work must provide tangible benefits for physicians

The PEHRC is committed to taking practical steps to educate physicians about the value and best use of electronic health records (EHR), to assist doctors in selection of systems, and to help focus the market on high quality and affordable products. Additionally, the PEHRC will work to participate in the development of the EHR certification process.

“Our patients deserve doctors who have access to the most modern and connected electronic health record system available,” says PEHRC co-chair David C. Kibbe, MD, American Academy of Family Physicians. “While physicians are adopting information technology in growing numbers, there remain substantial economic and technical barriers to full-scale deployment of electronic health records, especially in small- and medium-size medical practices. The PEHRC will allow physicians to address these barriers with a unified voice, and be powerful advocates for putting health information technology in the service of quality of care.”

“The Physicians Electronic Health Record Coalition is essential to advancing the adoption of EHRs in every physician's office,” says PEHRC co-chair Peter Basch, MD, American College of Physicians. “With the PEHRC's help, we have the potential of offering every doctor the tools and assistance needed to implement state-of-the-art technology to improve health care quality. Our patients must have no less.”

Founding PEHRC members are:

American Academy of Family Physicians

American Academy of Neurology

American Academy of Ophthalmology

American Academy of Pediatrics

American College of Cardiology

American College of Emergency Physicians

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians

American College of Physicians

American College of Rheumatology

American Medical Association

American Osteopathic Association

American Psychiatric Association

American Urologic Association

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