Interview: Dr. Tom Horan
David Geer recently spoke with Dr. Tom Horan, Director of the Kay Center for E-Health at Claremont Graduate University in Southern California about electronic health records for use in the healthcare system.
Listen to the original interview here, or visit our Podcast Center for more audio interviews.
| Dr. Tom Horan, Director, Kay Center for E-Health at Claremont Graduate University |
| In high school, he was ... "an accomplished sailer and a slacker!" |
| Ask him to do anything but ... "organize an office!" |
| Favorite (non-work) pastime: "Live music, especially music festivals." |
| Something most people don't know about him: He entered college thinking he was going to be an architect. |
| Role models: John Seely Brown, Tracy Kidder |
| Philosophy: "Vision, think, feel, act, react." |
| Favorite technology: "Trusty razor." |
| What he's reading now: Dissertation drafts |
David Geer: What are the shortcomings of the existing healthcare record systems?
Dr. Tom Horan: One of the major shortcomings of today's healthcare technology environment is that we can't get access to our own records. Imagine if you will, not being able to get access to your bank records online. Today we don't have access to our medical records and we think that that's a cause for a lot of inefficiencies in the system, not to mention dissatisfaction among consumers.
Geer: And how are you working on electronic health records in a way to improve that situation?
Dr. Horan: Our research is looking at how different segments of society can benefit from having personal health records and personal health systems. This includes those who find themselves in an emergency so that healthcare professionals, as well as loved ones, can have the information they need to make sure that the right treatment is provided during an emergency. It includes working with those who are underinsured or uninsured, who are frequent visitors to the emergency room, to make sure that all that can be known about that person's situation is known, and includes working with folks such as those who are disabled who have very complicated health needs, to see how the power of the Internet and technology can help manage their health affairs.
Geer: To get into the technology a little bit, how will future electronic health databases and related technologies help to facilitate this?
Dr. Horan: Well, one thing there won't be is a big, massive database with everybody's health information. That's a really scary concept and it's not going to happen. What there will be are highly secure distributed databases, whether it's in your healthcare provider's office or a lab's office, where you or someone who is authorized can reach out and grab that information as needed. Imagine if you will, being able to do a secure Google search that finds your records where they are and makes them available to you, as well as others who have been authorized in a very user-friendly format.
Geer: So we're talking almost about real-time availability of these records to the
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