GoKawiil
Tech News
WSJ readers shared mixed reactions to patient portals, the online systems that give patients direct access to their medical records, test results and doctor communications. Supporters praised the convenience of having health information readily available, while critics said the same immediate access can cause confusion, anxiety or information overload.
Doctors across the US are spending significant portions of short office visits piecing together patients' medical histories because electronic health records fail to consolidate data from hospitals, specialists, and rehab facilities. This administrative burden of chasing incomplete records and outdated medication lists is cited as a major driver of physician fatigue and burnout.
Industry analysis argues that healthcare's administrative problems stem from fragmented information, workflows and accountability across disconnected systems like EHRs, billing platforms and payer portals, rather than a shortage of data. The revenue cycle—covering scheduling, coding, billing and payer follow-up—is identified as an ideal proving ground for AI because it combines high transaction volume, complex reasoning needs and measurable outcomes, but traditional rule-based automation struggles due to constantly shifting payer rules and frequent exceptions.
Veradigm, the Chicago-based healthcare technology firm formerly known as Allscripts, disclosed in an SEC filing that an attacker used stolen credentials from a third-party vendor to access a customer-service API and copy patient data. The exposed information includes personal details and Social Security numbers for a limited number of patients, though clinical records were not accessed. The Gentlemen ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack.