Electronic Health Records in Ambulatory Care — A National Survey of Physicians

This national survey finds that only 4% of physicians use an extensive, fully functional system for electronic health records, and 13% use some form of basic electronic records. Those who use electronic records are generally satisfied with the systems and believe that they improve the quality of care that patients receive. Only 4% of physicians use an extensive, fully functional system for electronic health records, and 13% use some form of basic electronic records. Those who use electronic records believe that they improve the quality of care that patients receive. Health-information technology, such as sophisticated electronic health records, has the potential to improve health care. 1 – 3 Nevertheless, electronic-records systems have been slow to become part of the practices of physicians in the United States. 4 , 5 To date, there have been no definitive national studies that provide reliable estimates of the adoption of electronic health records by U.S. physicians. Recent estimates of such adoption by physicians range from 9 to 29%. 4 , 5 These percentages were derived from studies that either had a small number of respondents or incompletely specified definitions of an electronic health record. 5 , 6 To provide clearer estimates of . . .