Electronic Health Records Are Hobbling Health Care: $100 Billion Bought a Patchwork of Clunky, Vulnerable, and Inefficient Platforms

Cheryl Conrad no longer seethes with frustration when she has to interact with the health care system. Cheryl's husband, Tom, has a rare genetic disease that causes ammonia to accumulate in his blood. Two decades ago, during an emergency room visit, Cheryl told the doctors Tom needed an immediate dose of lactulose to avoid going into a coma, but they refused to medicate him until his primary doctor confirmed his medical condition hours later.