Tactics For Constructing Visions About Electronic Health Records (Ehrs)

Background Many qualitative studies focus on the ways healthcare technologies affect situated practices. Although these studies are undeniably important, it is equally important to pay attention to visions about these technologies. This article investigates the media discourse surrounding electronic health record (EHR) initiatives in North America.Analysis Drawing upon Bruno Latour's (1987) framework for analyzing the process of constructing scientific facts, this article examines the tactics through which media discourses construct visions of EHR technologies.Conclusions and implications The analysis shows how these are used to highlight the potential of EHR initiatives in spite of weak empirical evidence. Furthermore, the article demonstrates how visions can be constructed and to support specific agendas by encouraging and discouraging particular interpretations, expectations, and practices.