The vast majority of community hospitals have acquired and at least partially implemented an electronic medical record system. Both the costs of these systems, and the percent of the cost the hospitals expect to recover through meaningful use incentive payments, vary greatly, according to a survey conducted by Community Hospital 100 and health IT technology and consulting firm Anthelio.
Just 3 percent of community hospitals have not yet acquired an EMR. Forty percent have an EMR fully implemented, and the remaining 57 percent of hospitals have acquired an EMR and are partway through the implementation process.
Of the hospitals that have acquired an EMR, 18 percent spent more than $20 million, 19 percent spent between $10 and $19.9 million, 25 percent spent between $5 and $9.9 million and 38 percent spent less than $5 million.
Of this outlay, just 19 percent of respondents expect to recover more than 65 percent through meaningful use incentive payments, 40 percent expect to recover more than 50 percent, 63 percent expect to recover more than 30 percent and 37 percent expect to recover less than 30 percent.
Results are based on responses from 135 community hospital leaders, representing 123 hospitals, collected between August and September 2013.
More Articles on EMRs:
The Most Commonly Overridden CDS Alarms
University Health System's IT Strategy: Integration
Healthcare Struggles Amid Unprecedented Changes in IT