The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health and Mathematica Policy Research, has released a report detailing the growth of health information technology in the United States.
"Hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers are clearly taking advantage of recent incentives to embrace the promise of technology," said John R. Lumpkin, MD, senior vice president at RWJF, in a news release.
The report details the significant strides made in the adoption of electronic health records in particular:
1. Overall EHR adoption: In 2012, 44 percent of all hospitals had a basic electronic health record system, up from 17 percent in 2011 and triple the 2010 adoption rate. Large, major teaching, private nonprofit hospitals in urban areas were the most likely to have an EHR system.
2. Meaningful use: In 2012, 42 percent of hospitals achieved all 14 core functionalities of stage 1 meaningful use, up from 4 percent in 2010. Additionally, 68 percent of hospitals met at least 11 of the 16 core functionalities for stage 2 meaningful use.
3. EHR adoption at rural, small hospitals: While smaller and rural hospitals were less likely to have an EHR system, these hospitals are adopting EHRs at a faster rate than their larger, urban counterparts. The proportion of rural hospitals with an EHR increased 257 percent since 2010.
4. EHR adoption overseas: Both high-income countries and middle income countries, such as China and Brazil, are making large investments in EHR systems. Countries like India and South Korea are expected to begin investing in EHR systems as well.
More Articles on EHR Adoption:
Study: Physicians Continue to Use Paper, Computer EHR "Workarounds"
EHR Adoption in Ambulatory Settings Uneven Across US
Meaningful Use Dropout Rate at 17%