When I was a resident in emergency medicine, I spent many hoursuncovering the identities of John Doe and Jane Doe patientswho were unconscious, disoriented, or mute. I searched theirbelongings for receipts that included an address or scannedtheir clothing labels for a clue. Sometimes this worked. Often,hours or days passed before a family member was found who knewthe patient's medical history and health care preferences. Bythat time, substantial worry had been endured, and often possiblyunwanted medical interventions had occurred.
Today, I lead the information-technology efforts at an academichealth center, and I have . . . [Full Text of this Article]
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Dr. Halamka is the chief information officer at the CareGroup Healthcare System and an emergency physician at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston.
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