A Child’s View of EMR, EMR Tech Needs, and Typeface for Doctors

Can you believe summer is over? It’s September and the cool weather of Fall is just around the corner (I hope). Plus, that means health IT conference season is close as well. Why do they have to put all the conferences all together at the same time. I could travel to a health IT conference every single day in October. That’s crazy. I’d prefer just one a month. I wonder who could fix that.

Enough of that. This weekend’s EMR Twitter roundup is a really interesting one that includes a number of images which are really memorable. Plus, I think you’ll even find a little humor in this roundup.


This makes me want to do the same thing with my child. They love drawing and I wonder how they’d draw it. Plus, they’ve been to the doctor enough they could probably do it without my even going in. I wonder if they’d draw the laptop in or not. With that said, this picture will resonate with me for a while. At least the picture was colorful and a nice place for a child.


I think that’s the order I’ve seen most doctors go when it comes to EMR technology. In the ambulatory environment they usually want a laptop. A desktop in the office for the more in depth work they do in the EMR. Plus, smart phones are still an afterthought. Mostly because most EHR software doesn’t work too well on a smartphone. Even an iPad is so so with EMR software today.


This image gave me a good laugh. I’m sure many doctors get tired of the physician handwriting jokes. Interestingly enough, I’ve never heard of handwriting issues from those using an EHR.

About the author

John Lynn

John Lynn is the Founder of HealthcareScene.com, a network of leading Healthcare IT resources. The flagship blog, Healthcare IT Today, contains over 13,000 articles with over half of the articles written by John. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 20 million times.

John manages Healthcare IT Central, the leading career Health IT job board. He also organizes the first of its kind conference and community focused on healthcare marketing, Healthcare and IT Marketing Conference, and a healthcare IT conference, EXPO.health, focused on practical healthcare IT innovation. John is an advisor to multiple healthcare IT companies. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can be found on Twitter: @techguy.

6 Comments

  • What will pediatric EMRs look like in twenty years?

    The set: Animated children’s art on the walls, 3D Little Mermaid running on a VVVVUUUHDTV, and interactive toys in the corner.

    The prop: An EMR that looks like a children’s book illustrator designed it. Or should I say, children’s *ebook* illustrator, with interactive animations to engage and delight! (“Let’s see what Wally Walrus thinks is going on!”)

    It is (or should be) part of a gradual evolution toward increasingly child-friendly ecosystems of reassurance and meaning. My wife works in the hotel industry, where scenography is a hot topic. Scenography is design of a space as if it were a stage or movie set to tell a story. When you check into a luxury hotel, part of what you are paying for is starring in your favorite movie. I wouldn’t be surprised to see pediatric practices set up using scenographic techniques to achieve similar effects for their own child stars (may already be happening in rudimentary form).

    The pediatric EMR is part of the set, so it needs to be part of the story. Sponge Bob-branded pediatric EMR anyone?

    –Chuck

    P.S. Combining toys and cartoons with EMR devices and user interfaces does seem futuristic. However, here is some research paving the way.

    http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.150.4641

  • My kids would probably draw a giant needle.

    Fortunately my kids only go to the doc once a year – All I have seen change from the user experience is the doc walks in with a laptop now vs. a folder.

    When I ask him about it I get a slight grumble, with a shrug.

  • “Even an iPad is so so with EMR software today.”

    I think you mean EMR software is so so with an iPad today.

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