Survey: Many Non-EHR Users Plan To Purchase Systems Within 2 Years - iHealthBeat

Fifty-eight percent of physicians who currently do not use electronic health records say they plan to introduce new systems in the next two years, according to a survey released Tuesday at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's 2010 conference, HealthLeaders Media reports.

For the study, Accenture's Innovation Center for Health and Institute for Health & Public Service Value and Harris Interactive surveyed 1,000 physicians in practices with fewer than 10 practitioners.

Of the survey respondents, 15% were currently using EHRs and 85% were not.

Of the respondents younger than age 55, 80% said that they plan to purchase EHR systems within two years (Johnson, HealthLeaders Media, 3/2).

Motivations for EHR Purchasing

When asked about major factors driving EHR adoption:

• 61% cited federal penalties for non-adoption; and
• 51% cited federal incentive payments (Mearian, Computerworld, 3/2).

The survey also found that 75% of non-users said they would be interested in purchasing an EHR system from a local hospital if the facility partially subsidized the purchase. Most non-users expect a hospital or health network to subsidize about 50% of the cost for an EHR system.

EHR Expectations

The survey also found that physicians have high expectations for EHR systems. According to the survey:

• 67% expect EHRs to improve billing and other administrative processes;
• 62% expect EHRs to make it easier to order and view imaging and test results;
• 59% expect EHRs to facilitate medication management;
• 55% expect EHRs to boost care coordination with other clinicians; and
• 51% expect EHRs to improve patient care (HealthLeaders Media, 3/2).