DENVER -- Critics say some Denver area hospitals are moving too quickly to implement electronic medical records (EMRs), failing to work out some major flaws in software systems that contain patients’ sensitive medical information.

At a number of major hospitals in the metro area and at some small clinics, when you go in for a check-up, your medical information goes, not onto a paper chart, but into a computer.

The Obama administration is offering $20 billion in incentives for doctors and who start using electronic medical records. But some critics say Colorado hospitals have gone digital without taking care of some kinks in their systems.

Dr. Louise Benson, an internist, has used electronic medical records. She said there are documented cases of EMR systems miscalculating medication dosages and drug interactions, which could endanger patients.

“If you are relying on a program to tell you what the interactions are and you prescribe something and it pops up OK and it turns out not to be OK because there's an error in the program, that could be deadly for the patient,” said Benson.

An article in the March Journal of the American Medical Association points out that companies that sell electronic medical records take no responsibility if a software malfunction causes a medical error.

“Vendors are not responsible for errors their systems introduce in patient treatment because physicians, nurses, pharmacists and health care technicians should be able to identify--and correct--any errors generated by software faults,” the article says.

Doctors at Children’s Hospital, University of Colorado Hospitals, Colorado Kaiser Permanente and Denver Health all use electronic medical records and have touted the benefits of the systems.

In December, the four hospitals launched a system that allows them to digitally share the medical information of emergency room patients, with their permission.

“Colorado has been I think on the forefront in terms of trying to share information among various institutions that have the capability of an electronic medical record,” said Dr. David Kaplan, chief medical information officer at Children’s Hospital. “Having electronic medical record has really been a major breakthrough at our institution. For the first time ever, we have everything right in front of us.”

Dr. Ann Martin, director of the Longmont-based Colorado Women’s Care and Medical Spa, also uses electronic medical records. She said they cut down on errors.

“I think the benefits are everyone can read the notes,” said Martin. “That's number one. Some doctors are notorious for not being able to read their writing.”

But Benson worries Colorado hospitals and small practitioners are moving too fast with the technology. Dr. Benson said another major concern she has about EMRs, is that once erroneous information is entered into a patient’s record, it is nearly impossible to get erase.

“Once you get a diagnosis in there or a medication or something that's incorrect, that's an error, it gets repeated and repeated and repeated,” Dr. Benson said.

Benson said she believes electronic medical records can improve patient care, but that major improvements need to happen before they go mainstream.

“They are not ready for primetime from many standpoints,” she said.