HIT Use Has Doubled Since 2009

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced that health information technology use has doubled in the last two years, according to a HHS news release. Ms. Sebelius' announcement details data from a new survey conducted by the American Hospital Association, which found the percentage of U.S. hospitals that had adopted electronic health records doubled from 16 to 35 percent between 2009 and 2011.

Data also shows nearly 2,000 hospitals and over 41,000 physicians have received $3.1 billion in incentive payments for ensuring meaningful use of health IT.

Eighty-five percent of hospitals report that by 2015, they intend to take advantage of incentive payments available through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Related Articles on HIT:
6,000 Physicians Commit to EHR Use in Ohio
Study: Patients See Value in EHRs But Privacy Concerns Remain
71% of EHRs are Dually Certified by CCHIT and ONC