Electronic Medical Records: Lessons from Small Physician Practices

Full article here:http://www.chcf.org/topics/view.cfm?itemID=21521
University of California, San Francisco
This project provides solo and small group physicians with practical information on electronic medical records (EMRs) implementation and use. This group was the focus for two reasons. Although estimates of actual EMR use rates are relatively low�likely substantially less than 13 percent�estimates of physician interest in EMRs are substantially higher, ranging from 31 percent to more than 65 percent of all physicians nationwide. In addition, approximately 70 percent of active, practicing physicians in California work independently or in small groups of ten physicians or fewer; yet, little has been published on their experience using EMRs.

This report will be of interest to employers and employer coalitions that provide health care benefits, policymakers in government that craft legislation, managers at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and research and demonstration funding agencies. These stakeholders increasingly recognize that the use of information technology and electronic medical records are critical to improving quality of care. Understanding EMR use in solo/small groups can help policymakers craft policies that can hasten electronic medical records adoption.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *