Electronic Medical Record Design Challenge

1. Improve the visual layout and style of the information from the medical record
2. Create a human-centered design that makes it easier for patient to manage their health
3. Enable health professionals to more effectively understand and use patients’ health information
4. Help family members and friends care for their loved ones

The categories include best overall design, best medication design, best problem/medical history, best lab summaries, and designs that challenges the judges. All amazing and artful. Take the time to at least scan the possibilities and compare to the EMR(s) you use.

I’m excited. Design is huge. These designs stretch my idea of the possible. Thank you ONC. However, I’m hesitant to get too excited. While design and format are necessary and important links in the chain for usable EMRs, they are not sufficient. The people with complex chronic diseases are heavy users of EMRs, often with multiple EMRs that don’t talk to each other (interoperability). I have info in 3 EMRs. Can these designs handle complex health issues? What is the bidirectional nature of these designs? Can e-patients and caregivers enter information and correct information? I would also like to hear more about how the winners involved patients and caregivers in the design? How will the designs adapt for non-English speakers? Will these designs help the relationship/communication with clinicians? Let’s follow this and see how these designs are implemented. Let’s look for the design backstories.