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Few US hospitals have computerized data
According to an article in The Boston Globe, fewer than 2% of US hospitals have their medical records in an electronic form. They said the high cost of converting the records was the biggest obstacle.
Part of President Obama’s plan to reform health care includes increasing the use of information technology in healthcare, with a $19 billion budget. The US consistently ranks lower in health care than other countries. Dr. David Blumental, Harvard Medical School, has been identified to lead this new effort for President Obama’s plan.
Dr. Blumenthal and Dr. Ashish Jha of the Harvard School of Public Health have published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that analyzed data collected in 2008 from 3,000 hospitals in the US. Their findings showed that less than 2% of US hospitals have adequate electronic health records. The study is available at The New England Journal of Medicine.
In spite of a consensus that the use of health information technology will lead to more efficient, safer, and higher-quality care, it has been difficult to estimate the use of electronic health records in U.S. hospitals. Now that the study indicates very low levels of adoption of electronic health records in U.S. Hospitals, policymakers will have to address this issue. Electronic health records directly relate to health care performance goals that lawmakers are considering. Thanks to this study, they may have to focus on financial support, interoperability, and training of technical support staff to encourage more hospitals to adopt electronic-records systems.
The health care system in the US is facing increasing criticism, as well as rising costs and poor quality. Health information technology and electronic records are one phase of health care reform intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care providers. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included promoting a national interoperable health information system.
According to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, only 17% of US physicians use either a basic or a comprehensive electronic records system. They considered a basic system as one that included doctor or nurse notes and was used in at least one care unit, such as radiology. A comprehensive system consists of one that collects doctors’ and nurses’ notes, orders tests, helps doctors make care decisions, and is available in every unit of the hospital.
Dr. Blumenthal and Dr. Jha suggest that policymakers consider rewarding hospitals, especially ones affected by the recent economic recession, for implementing health information technology. By providing financial rewards, encouraging technology staff and harmonizing information-technology standards more hospitals will be able to participate.
The study found that a small minority of US hospitals and clinics have a basic system of electronic health records, but very few have a comprehensive system in place. Since many hospitals have at least parts of an electronic system in place, one way the government can help is by offering financial incentives to help with the support of implementing an electronic health care system, making sure it promotes interoperability among health care divisions, and training information technology support staff. This kind of support is one phase of instituting true health care reform.
