I pay about $500 per year for UpToDate, the online reference that helps me stay current on diagnostic criteria and best treatment options for most diseases I might run into in my practice. They also have a rich library of patient information, which I often print out during office visits.

I don’t get any ‘credit’ for doing that, but I do if I print the (often paltry) patient handouts built into my electronic health record. That was how the rules governing meaningful use of subsidised computer technology for medical offices were written.

If I describe in great detail in my office note how I motivated a patient to quit smoking but forgot to also check the box that smoking cessation education was provided, I look like a negligent doctor.

My expensive electronic health record can’t extract that information from the text. Google, from my mobile device, can translate between languages and manages to send me ads based on words in my web searches.