Between 2009 and 2010, the Health Resources and Services Administration has encouraged the adoption and use of health IT at health center controlled networks with $176.9 million in grants, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
However, just 14 percent of the electronic health record systems purchased with these grants are able to meet meaningful use stage 1 criteria, according to a report from HHS' Office of the Inspector General.
From progress reports from participating HCCNs, the largest struggles are around data exchange, probably because this functionality often requires additional EHR-related expenditures. More than three-quarters of hospitals reported financial sustainability challenges, though the progress reports contained limited data on the EHRs' financial stability.
OIG recommends HSRA provide additional guidance and support to the HCCNs, while requiring the networks to provide more information on the financial stability of the systems.
More Articles on EHRs:
Hospital Sisters Health System's EHR Deployment Strategy
The Present and Future of the EMR App Market
4 Most-Reported Clinical Benefits of EHRs