GAO: 57% of Medicare Physicians Used EHRs in 2011

Fifty-seven percent of Medicare physicians used an electronic health record system at their primary practice location in 2011, according to a report (pdf) by the Government Accountability Office.

The Office of Inspector General conducted an electronic survey of a random sample of 2,000 Medicare physicians. The survey was done from October 2011 to January 2012. Key findings from the study include:  

• Of the 57 percent of physicians who used an EHR system in 2011, 90 percent used the systems to document evaluation and management services.
• Ninety-five percent of physicians who used an EHR system to document E/M services in 2011 first began using an EHR system between 2001 and 2011.
• During 2001 and 2011, 22 percent of physicians — the largest percentage of physicians — began using EHR systems in 2011; the same year CMS commenced its incentive program.
• Although EHR systems can automatically assign codes for E/M services, 88 percent of Medicare physicians assigned codes manually in 2011. The remaining 12 percent had codes assigned manually by staff.

More Articles on EHR systems:

Single Practices Show Faster EHR Adoption Growth Than Hospitals, Large Practices
Making the Most of Electronic Health Records – It's All About Infrastructure
Survey Pegs Physicians' Overall EHR Adoption Rate at 40.4%

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