Let me preface this by saying, April Fool's! Yeah, it ruins the fun, but it also saves me the guilt if someone were to actually use the tips below. If you're looking for serious advice, check out ''HITECH's Highway to Hell'' for cautionary words about electronic health record implementation. But before you do, read on for some foolhardy ...

Yesterday, I read the Nov. 23 article on HISTalk about a multi-group practice that went electronic, and then turned its defunct chart storage room into useful office space. The ''before and after'' photos were particularly striking. Pre-scanning, the room is lined with overflowing shelves; post-scanning, it's a cavernous space with a ...