Boston Marathon tragedy reveals potential EHR, HIE flaws   The
Boston hospitals that have been treating the hundreds of victims
of the horrific Boston marathon bombings this week have done a
terrific job. They, in turn, have credited technology in helping
them communicate to staff, volunteers and the public. I presume
that these hospitals also have good electronic health record
systems that they can rely on.  But I can't help but wonder:
wouldn't their work have been enhanced even further and their
jobs made easier if the nation was further along in health IT
and interoperability? Would it have helped these hospitals if
they had had electronic access to victims as they were rushed
in, to know about an allergy to penicillin, a patient's blood
type, a heart condition that could affect the outcome of
surgery?  Of course.   But our interoperable health information
system is still in its infancy, and there are concerns that
health information exchanges may never be fully interoperable or
sustainable. And that's am