Researchers used data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2002 through 2011 to examine physician characteristics associated with adoption of EHR systems.
The study found that, in 2011, more than half of office-based physicians had EHR systems. However, physicians age 55 and older, non-primary care specialists and physicians who worked in small practices or physician-owned practices were least likely to have EHR systems. Other key findings include:
• In 2002, primary care specialists were only slightly more likely to have EHR systems than non-primary care specialists. Over the decade, adoption by primary care specialists increased more quickly so that by 2011 the gap had widened significantly;
• From 2002 to 2011 physicians age 45 or younger increased adoption of EHR systems almost twice as much as physicians age 55 and over. By 2011, physicians age 45 and younger were 17 percent more likely to use an EHR system than physicians over 55;
• In 2002, physicians in large practices were 13 percent more likely to use an EHR system than those in small practices. In 2011, the difference in EHR adoption had grown to 42 percent.
More Articles on Electronic Health Record Adoption:
CMS, ONC Push Teamwork to Reach Higher EHR Adoption, Use
CMS Pays $738M in February for Medicaid, Medicare EHR Incentive Program
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