EHR adoption up, but challenges continue

Editor's Note

Electronic health record (EHR) adoption has increased since 2010, but small and rural hospitals need strategies to address financial challenges now that penalties for lack of adoption have begun, this study finds.

Using 2008-2014 national data, researchers found that 75% of hospitals have adopted at least a basic EHR system—up from 59% in 2013—but small and rural hospitals continue to lag behind. 

The researchers also found a large increase in the ability to meet core stage 2 meaningful-use criteria (40.5% of hospitals, up from 5.8% in 2013).

Challenges most often reported by hospitals were up-front and ongoing costs, physician cooperation, and the complexity of meeting meaningful-use criteria. 

1Julia Adler-Milstein (juliaam{at}umich.edu ) is an assistant professor in the School of Information and in the Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. ↵*Corresponding author Achieving nationwide adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) remains an important policy priority.