Bad software design

[ericbarbour]

Health care database software in the US is now dominated by one supplier. You know there's a problem when their Wikipedia article is full of complaints. As usual the talkpage is hilarious.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Systems

It's so bad that it is inducing doctors to become depressed, and even suicidal. You know there's a problem when the New Yorker runs a long article.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018 ... -computers

Oh, yeah, THAT isn't a problem. Oh hell no. Even if it WAS discussed in a 1975 book....and anyway it's pointless to challenge Epic for making bad software. Epic is a huge, privately held, secretive and obscenely wealthy firm. They ignore their thousands of customers already.

In case you wondered what happens to the revenue from those stiff prices hospitals charge, some of it goes to Epic. And they make it "disappear". Use Google Maps to look at their headquarters: 1979 Milky Way, Verona, WI 53593. It's enormous and still expanding.

[The End]

My doctor's practice installed computers in its exam rooms. At first, he tried talking to me while typing on his computer. Later on, a nurse came in with him to transcribe since he couldn't deal with patients and handle the computer at the same time. While I'm fine with the nurses and I know they'll respect my privacy and HIPAA, there are just some things I'd like to talk to my doctor alone about. It took me a long time to talk about my mental health and having another person in the exam room held me back in discussing the issue.

My ophthalmologist uses Epic Systems and they've had a lot of bugs in and glitches with it. Not all the features work as they are meant to. My optometrist had a time with getting his system up and running (not Epic, I think). Some of these doctors really do not need a big system like the ones Epic creates and sells.