The way hospitals share medical records often depends on their size and location, with many still sending letters — yes, through the mail — and others using electronic exchanges, a Government Accountability Office study found.
Here is the most popular method for sending medical records by hospital type, according to the April 21 report:
Medium and large hospitals
1. Regional, state or local health information exchange (56.4 percent)
2. EHR vendor-based network (48.4 percent)
3. National health information exchange network (43.1 percent)
4. Mail or fax (30.3 percent)
Small hospitals
1. Mail or fax (47.4 percent)
2. Regional, state or local health information exchange (36.7 percent)
3. EHR vendor-based network (30.2 percent)
4. National health information exchange network (28.5 percent)
Nonrural hospitals
1. Regional, state or local health information exchange (47.3 percent)
2. EHR vendor-based network (41.1 percent)
3. Mail or fax (38.4 percent)
4. National health information exchange network (35.3 percent)
Rural hospitals
1. Mail or fax (42.8 percent)
2. Regional, state or local health information exchange (40.8 percent)
3. EHR vendor-based network (28.9 percent)
4. National health information exchange network (27.3 percent)