Larger hospitals and integrated delivery networks have led the way in electronic health record adoption, and at this point are turning to replacement technology, not new systems, when buying EHRs. Not surprisingly, vendors now see community hospitals as the opportunity for market share growth, with over half of such providers contracting with a new clinical information system for the first time, according to a recent KLAS report.
"Previously, community hospitals may have been unable to justify the technology investment," the report's authors write. "Many felt an inability to modernize based on resource constraints or were simply unwilling to tackle the issues that would arise from changes to clinician workflow.
"Now motivated by [Meaningful Use] and its associated financial incentives, community hospitals have awakened to the reality that clinical information technology is not only within their reach but may be fundamental to their sustainability," the authors add.
Different types of community hospitals tended to gravitate toward different EHR vendors, according to the report. Specifically, community hospitals affiliated with an integrated delivery system turned to vendors that the hospitals felt could support them through Meaningful Use and changes in regulations and reimbursements. Stand-alone hospitals, meanwhile, have gravitated toward community hospital-specific vendors, like CPSI.
A recent survey from Community Hospital 100 and Anthelio Health found that 92 percent of community hospitals have purchased and are operating electronic health records.
To learn more:
- here's the press release
- read this healthsystemCIO.com post