ONC recently posted the report “Update on the Adoption of HIT and Related Effort to Facilitate the Electronic Use and Exchange of Health Information” with information on the adoption of HIT from January 1, 2012 to April 30,2013.
The report describes CMS and ONC’s efforts to facilitate the nationwide adoption and exchange of electronic health information. The report also identifies and discusses barriers to the adoption and exchange of electronic clinical data and how the programs at HHS are helping to address these barriers.
According to the report, data shows steady increases in the adoption of EHRs and key computerized functionalities related to EHR Incentive Programs among office-based physicians and non-federal acute care hospitals.
In 2012, nearly 75 percent of office-based physicians adopted EHR systems. Forty percent of physicians have adopted a basic EHR with certain advanced capabilities which is more than double the adoption rate in 2009.
As of 2012, 44 percent of non-federal acute care hospitals had adopted a basic EHR system which is more than triple the adoption rate of 2009. The percentage of hospitals with certified EHR technology increased by 18 percent between 2011 and 2012 rising from 72 percent to 85 percent.
The percent of physicians e-prescribing using an EHR on one of the nation’s largest e-prescribing network (Surescripts) increased almost eight fold from 7 percent in December 2008 to over half of the physicians in December 2012.
In the same period, the percent of community pharmacies active on the Surescripts network grew from 69 percent to 95 percent. The percent of new and renewal prescriptions sent electronically between 2008 and 2012 has increased ten-fold to approximately 47 percent.
Also, as of April 2013, more than 291,000 professionals, representing more than half of the nation’s eligible professionals have received incentive payments through EHR Incentive Programs. Over 3,800 hospitals, representing about 80 percent of eligible hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals have received incentive payments through this program.
To view the report, go to www.healthit.gov.