Refer A Colleague Report: Few U.S. Hospitals Use Electronic Records System
Only 1.5 percent of U.S.-based hospitals use a comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) system, according to a new study from the New England Journal of Medicine.
In addition, 7.6 percent have a basic EHR system, and computerized provider-order entry for medications has been implemented in only 17 percent of hospitals, the study reads.
The study surveyed all acute care hospitals that are members of the American Hospital Association (AHA) for the presence of specific electronic record functionalities. Of those surveyed, 63 percent responded.
The recent economic stimulus package included roughly 19 billion in funding for healthcare information technology (IT), including $17 billion in incentives for physicians and hospitals to adopt EHR systems. The Obama Administration also set a goal to have all medical records computerized by 2014.
“The very low levels of adoption of EHRs in U.S. hospitals suggest that policymakers face substantial obstacles to the achievement of health care performance goals that depend on health IT,” the study’s abstract reads.
For more information on the study, visit http://content.nejm.org/.