HHS could spur double-digit growth in the $13.8 billion EMR market by easing proposed standards for meaningful use, a report from research firm Kalorama Information says.
"Requiring physicians to undergo 25 mandates by next year may not be effective given the kind of real-world usage among physicians we see today," Kalorama Information Publisher Bruce Carlson says in a press release. "Getting physicians used to these systems is the challenge to a totally paperless healthcare system in the United States and we think gradual, achievable goals would be preferable."
The study, conducted before HHS published its proposal for meaningful use Dec. 30, says that the No. 1 barrier to EMR adoption is physician compliance with national standards. The New York-based company suggests that the best way to achieve the kind of EMR usage envisioned by federal officials is for healthcare organization to develop their own incentive plans. That may not be possible if national standards are difficult to follow, according to the report.
"It's not just about encouraging physicians directly, though that's part of it," Carlson says. "It's about encouraging healthcare systems to develop 'matching' programs to encourage EMR among their affiliated physicians. Unless there's a clear road to incentive money they won't do that."
To learn more:
- see this Kalorama Information press release and order the full report
- take a look at this CMIO story