Electronic Health Records For Dummies

Checking EHR usage in the United States

Thanks to the continuing push for healthcare reform and legislation in the area of health information technology, physicians and clinics are going paperless at a faster rate, and the EHR market is going gangbusters to keep up with demand. Right now, there are more than 400 EHR vendors and counting, and they’re all vying for a chunk of your business.

As you consider an EHR, here are some facts to think about:

According to a 2008 article in Pediatric News, the goal of the federal government is to have 40 percent of all medical professionals using EHR by 2014.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that of the 404,000 eligible medical professionals in 2011, between 10 and 36 percent will adopt EHR in 2011, 15 to 44 percent will adopt in 2013, and 21 to 53 percent will adopt in 2015. In other words, EHR is big, and its usage is on the rise.

A 2009 study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 44 percent of medical professionals have already adopted a partial, basic, or fully functional EHR. Figure 1-1 shows the breakdown.

In 2015, Medicare will reduce payments for any physician not using EHR, so though it isn’t technically required, your bottom line may thank you for adopting a system.