Only SOME Diseases on E. H. Records

Bizarre, and dangerous.

But that's the Obama Way.

The newly-mandated Electronic Health Record regs include the following:

Among the regulations that Dr. Blumenthal issued last week for health-care providers seeking to demonstrate that they are engaging in “meaningful use” of EHRs is that they: “Maintain an up-to-date problem list of current and active diagnoses."

The regulations also require the EHRs to include a patient's "problem list" as well as "procedures."

What a "problem list" must entail is defined in separate federal regulations – referenced in those issued by Dr. Blumenthal on July 13. These regulations say such a list will include: “(i) Diseases. (ii) Injuries. (iii) Impairments. (iv) Other health problems and their manifestations. (v) Causes of injury, disease, impairment, or other health problems.”

"Procedures" are defined as actions taken with regard to: “(i) Prevention. (ii) Diagnosis. (iii) Treatment. (iv) Management,” of those things listed on the problems list.

As you recall, that includes Body Mass Index.

But not AIDS, STD's, or previous abortions.

CNSNews.com asked Blumenthal whether abortions and HIV tests must be included in an EHR, as the new regulations, on their face, seem to suggest.

“The regulations that came out state that hospitals and doctors have to provide problems lists, medications [lists], diagnostic test results, copies of those things in the electronic health record," said CNSNews.com. "Does that mean that a test result like, say, an HIV test or a procedure like an abortion would have to go on an electronic health record”

Blumenthal said, “Any specific information recorded in the record is an issue between the doctor and the patient, not an issue that this regulation specifies.”

It would seem that HIV-positive tests are far more significant than BMI readings, if only for the safety of medical personnel treating a new patient.

But not in ObamaTwit world.