Nearly three-fourths of office-based docs are using EHRs

The adoption of electronic health record systems by office-based physician practices continues to grow at a steady pace, with almost three-fourths (72 percent) of them using some form of EHR system, an increase of 26 percent from 2011 according to the latest data brief from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

Adoption rates varied widely by state, however. The lowest adoption rate was in New Jersey, with 54 percent of physicians using some sort of EHR system. Massachusetts had the highest adoption rate of 89 percent.

Forty percent of office-based physicians reported that their system met a list of basic functionality requirements. That figure represents a 17 percent increase over the 2011 estimate of 34 percent.  

Two-thirds of respondents reported that they had applied--or planned to apply--for Meaningful Use Incentives. NCHS periodically reviews the use of EHRs to see if the HITECH Act, enacted in 2009, is meeting its goal of advancing the use of EHR technology.

Interestingly, the 2012 study did not report on physicians' satisfaction rates with their EHR systems. According to the previous NCHS report, 85 percent of physicians who had adopted EHRs were somewhat or very satisfied with their systems.

To learn more:
- here's the new brief (.pdf)