A new study released by the Commonwealth Fund has found community health centers are leveraging their resources to invest in health IT in response to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The study's findings were based on the 2013 Commonwealth Fund National Survey of Federally Qualified Health Centers. The survey examined community health centers' investments in anticipation of a higher demand for healthcare in response to the PPACA.
The study found community health centers were investing in electronic health record systems, with the use of EHRs at community health centers increasing 133 percent from 2009 to 2013.
The study also found 17 percent of community health centers are investing in telemedicine services that allow them to treat patients remotely. Health centers adopted health IT at higher rates than both integrated healthcare systems and office-based physicians' offices from 2009 to 2013, according to the study.
"It's encouraging to see how far community health centers have come in their health IT use," said Commonwealth Fund President and former National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal, MD, in the news release. "Their progress demonstrates that with concerted investment and support, substantial change is possible. It makes the case for continued investment to make sure these clinics can continue caring for some of our nation's most vulnerable patients."
The survey was based on responses from 679 executives or clinical directors at federally qualified health centers from June 19, 2013 to Oct. 24, 2013.
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