The days of clicking through multiple dialog boxes appear to be numbered for healthcare workers using one widely-used electronic health record (EHR). That’s right, Meditech heard your negative feedback regarding their pop-ups loud and clear and is making sweeping changes to its interface, as a result. In a press conference this Monday, CEO Adam Baker announced the company’s ambitious goal to replace all their standard pop-up boxes with clickbait headlines in their newest product.
This marks the first such time that an EHR will incorporate clickbait into its workings. Despite entering uncharted territory, Meditech claims to be very in touch with its users’ needs and is optimistic that they will appreciate the change. In a live demonstration, they showed a side-by-side comparison of the older and newer versions. Rather than receive a shortage warning while ordering Zosyn, a frequently-used antibiotic, the updated Meditech inspired viewers toward alternatives with a link to the article, “This herb was used to treat sepsis instead of antibiotics…and you won’t believe the results!”
It’s a bold, untested strategy, but the competition in electronic medical records is fierce and demands innovative ideas and risk-taking. Epic, another leading EHR company, took a large gamble in recent years by adding keyboard shortcuts and has been reaping the rewards ever since. Perhaps, this is the adjustment Meditech needs to propel themselves to the top of the EHR industry. Only time will tell. The final product is still in development, with the roll-out date tentatively planned for Fall 2019.
