Majority of physicians report EHR benefits
Three-quarters of physicians using EHRs in 2011 reported clinical benefits, according to a study published in Health Services Research.
The study analyzed the responses of 3,180 physicians about their EHR experiences from the Physician Workflow Survey.
The majority of respondents said they "were alerted to a potential medication error or critical lab value" while using EHRs, according to the study. Almost one-third of physicians said EHRs helped them identify lab tests and more directly communicate with patients, said Jennifer King, chief of research and evaluation at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and lead author of the study.
"The study reinforces our view that meaningful use of EHR technologies can deliver clinical benefits and improve outcomes," said Mickey McGlynn, chair of the Electronic Health Record Association and senior director of strategy and operations for Siemens Healthcare, in a release. The study's findings could show practices that are reluctant to adopt EHR technology that the benefits of EHR adoption take time, she noted. "EHR adoption is a journey not a destination. All stakeholders must collaborate to ensure that requirements to achieve both benefits and incentives are practical and do not add unnecessary burdens" to providers.
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.