A Call to Reconsider a Nationwide Electronic Health Record System: Correcting the Failures of the National Program for IT

Abstract

The National Programme for IT (NPfIT) was launched in 2005 to implement 7 nationwide IT services across the National Health Service (NHS). Despite the success of many of these designated "deliverables,"the establishment of a single nationwide electronic health record (EHR) system never fully materialized. As a result, NHS medical records are now stored using a diverse array of alternate EHR systems, which frequently restricts health care practitioners from accessing extensive portions of their patients' notes. This not only limits their ability to make well-informed clinical decisions but also impacts the quality of care they are able to provide. This article assesses the medical, economic, and bureaucratic implications of an NHS-wide EHR system. Additionally, it explores how the shortcomings of the NPfIT should be addressed when attempting to introduce such a system in the future.