Nearly every medical practice in the United States is going to be confronted with the decision to transition from a paper record to an electronic medical record (EMR). Horror stories abound about practices attempting to make the changeover and losing productivity, creating obstacles and problems that are insolvable, and even abandoning the project to return to paper charts and wasting thousands of dollars. This article will review the path to implementation of an EMR system that will reduce the tension, anxiety, and disruption that often accompanies any practice that wants to make the paperless leap.
