Forty-six percent of U.S. physician groups plan to join a health information exchange, according to the "5th Annual U.S. Ambulatory Electronic Health Record & Practice Management Study," released by HIMSS Analytics, a non-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
The study includes insights from more than 800 physician groups on electronic health record and practice management adoption, vendor share and meaningful use attestation across the U.S. physician market. It also incorporates information from the HIMSS Analytics database.
Here are some key findings from the study.
Ambulatory electronic health record adoption
• Seventy-three percent of respondents reported having purchased an ambulatory EHR solution.
• Thirty-three percent of hospital-owned physician groups reported using EHR systems by Epic, whereas thirty-eight percent of free-standing physician groups reported using an EHR system other than the one developed by a major vendor.
• Of the approximately 100 physician groups with more than 101 physicians polled for the study, 41 percent reported using an EHR system by Epic.
• Sixty-five percent of respondents reported that they are not planning to purchase, replace or upgrade their ambulatory EHR system.
• Seventeen percent reported that they will upgrade a current solution, 12 percent reported purchasing a new solution and 6 percent reported replacing a current solution.
• Of the physician groups looking to purchase, upgrade or replace an EHR system, nearly 80 percent reported that they will do so in the next seven to 12 months.
• Survey respondents identified the following factors as the largest drivers of ambulatory EHR purchases. (Figures represent the portion of respondents who reported each factor to be the m ost important driver.)
Practice management solutions adoption
• Twenty-one percent of hospital-owned physician groups reported using a practice management solution by Epic, whereas thirty-six percent of free-standing physician groups reported using a practice management solution other than the one developed by a major vendor.
• Nearly 30 percent of freestanding physician groups and nearly 60 percent of hospital-owned groups reported purchasing their current practice management solution before 2006.
• Seventy-four percent of respondents reported that they will not purchase a new or upgrade an existing practice management solution.
• Of the physician groups looking to purchase, upgrade or replace a practice management solution, approximately 60 percent reported that they will do so in the next one to two years.
• Fifty-two percent of respondents reported that they would not consider replacing their current practice management solution with an integrated practice management-EHR solution.
• Thirty percent of respondents reported that their practice would replace their current practice management or EHR solution if their current vendor was purchased by another vendor.
Meaningful use
• Sixty percent of physician groups reported having successfully attested to stage 1 of meaningful use, and 48 percent have received incentive payments for attestation.
• A little more than 30 percent of respondents reported being confident that their current practice management or EHR solution will be able to meet stage 2 meaningful use criteria.
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The study includes insights from more than 800 physician groups on electronic health record and practice management adoption, vendor share and meaningful use attestation across the U.S. physician market. It also incorporates information from the HIMSS Analytics database.
Here are some key findings from the study.
Ambulatory electronic health record adoption
• Seventy-three percent of respondents reported having purchased an ambulatory EHR solution.
• Thirty-three percent of hospital-owned physician groups reported using EHR systems by Epic, whereas thirty-eight percent of free-standing physician groups reported using an EHR system other than the one developed by a major vendor.
• Of the approximately 100 physician groups with more than 101 physicians polled for the study, 41 percent reported using an EHR system by Epic.
• Sixty-five percent of respondents reported that they are not planning to purchase, replace or upgrade their ambulatory EHR system.
• Seventeen percent reported that they will upgrade a current solution, 12 percent reported purchasing a new solution and 6 percent reported replacing a current solution.
• Of the physician groups looking to purchase, upgrade or replace an EHR system, nearly 80 percent reported that they will do so in the next seven to 12 months.
• Survey respondents identified the following factors as the largest drivers of ambulatory EHR purchases. (Figures represent the portion of respondents who reported each factor to be the m ost important driver.)
- Making the practice more efficient — 36 percent
- Increasing quality of care delivered by the practice — 21 percent
- Making it easier to share patient data between facilities — 17 percent
- Getting American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funding — 11 percent
- Reducing medical errors — 3 percent
- Other — 12 percent
Practice management solutions adoption
• Twenty-one percent of hospital-owned physician groups reported using a practice management solution by Epic, whereas thirty-six percent of free-standing physician groups reported using a practice management solution other than the one developed by a major vendor.
• Nearly 30 percent of freestanding physician groups and nearly 60 percent of hospital-owned groups reported purchasing their current practice management solution before 2006.
• Seventy-four percent of respondents reported that they will not purchase a new or upgrade an existing practice management solution.
• Of the physician groups looking to purchase, upgrade or replace a practice management solution, approximately 60 percent reported that they will do so in the next one to two years.
• Fifty-two percent of respondents reported that they would not consider replacing their current practice management solution with an integrated practice management-EHR solution.
• Thirty percent of respondents reported that their practice would replace their current practice management or EHR solution if their current vendor was purchased by another vendor.
Meaningful use
• Sixty percent of physician groups reported having successfully attested to stage 1 of meaningful use, and 48 percent have received incentive payments for attestation.
• A little more than 30 percent of respondents reported being confident that their current practice management or EHR solution will be able to meet stage 2 meaningful use criteria.
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