The American Health Lawyers Association is conducting a research project that will address the malpractice liability that can result from the implementation of electronic health records.

The rate of registration by eligible professionals for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record incentive programs has dropped for the second straight month, according to a CMS report (pdf).

California physicians are set to receive more than $7 million in incentive payments for completing the first steps toward achieving meaningful use of electronic health records, according to a report by the California Health Information Partnership and Services Organization, a federally designated organization established to help California physicians achieve meaningful use with EHR technology.

In a study commissioned by Canada Health Infoway, an independent, non-profit organization, primary care practices with electronic medical records identified patients who needed preventative or follow-up care approximately 30 times more quickly than clinics with paper-based records.

Premier Bone & Joint Centers in Laramie, Wyo., has selected SRS EHR technology and services for its 10 physicians and 12 practice locations.

Here are 10 spine practices using electronic systems.

Physician age, specialty and practice size are key indicators of electronic health record adoption, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

The Culicchia Neurological Clinic has selected SRS, a provider of EHR technology and services, to provide an EHR and Patient Portal system for its 17 providers and three locations.

Orthopedic practices around the country are considering whether to implement electronic health records and begin the process of achieving meaningful use of those systems. Barbara Sack, Executive Director at Midwest Orthopaedics in Shawnee Mission, Kan., helped lead her practice to successfully implement the SRS EHR system and attest to meaningful use. Here, Ms. Sack offers her expertise on the process. Robert Sharpe, MD, is one of the physicians at Midwest Orthopaedics and also offered some thoughts.

Farzad Mostashari, the national coordinator for health information technology with the ONC, and Marilyn Tavenner, the acting administrator of CMS urge States and HIT partners to collaborate for higher adoption and use of health IT, according to a CMS Blog report.