The reading passage contends that there are
several benefits of using electronic databases. On the other hand, the lecturer
brings up several points that contradict this argument.
First, the speaker argues that it is
unlikely that the costs can be saved by using electronic records. This is
because doctors cannot save money from reducing the storage place. To be
specific, even though doctors use electronic records, they will have to keep
paper documents since the documents are needed for legal reasons. This means
that they still need places for document storage. This counters the reading
passage's claim that a large amount of money will be saved with the use of
electronic records.
Second, according to the lecturer, it is
hard to believe that electronic records are mandatory to reduce the possibility
of medical errors. The reason is that doctors still use paper when they take
notes from patients, which can lead to some errors. Therefore, there will be
some problems of paper writing even if doctors start to use electronic medical
records. This refutes the reading passage's assertion that many human errors
will be alleviated with the help of using electronic records.
The final point made by the lecturer is
that electronic medical records will not benefit medical research. This is
supported by the fact that medical researchers cannot have access to
information about their patients as the information is strictly regulated by
the laws of U.S. In other words, the researchers have to follow the rules and
should get permission from the patients. However, the permission from the
patients about their health information is not always granted. This casts doubt
on the reading passage's viewpoint that it will be easier to get information
from the medical database, and aiding research.