The relationship between physician practice characteristics and physician adoption of electronic health records.
BACKGROUND
Health information technologies, such as electronic health records (EHRs), can potentially improve patient safety in our health care system. The potential advantages include increased quality and more efficiency in the care of patients. Adoption of EHRs has been slow despite these advantages and a national call for EHR implementation.


OBJECTIVE
This article explores factors associated with the adoption of EHR systems using organizational theory to derive hypotheses as to why physicians would adopt EHRs.


METHODS
: A survey was administered to all office-based physicians in Nebraska and South Dakota using a modified Dillman technique between July and November 2007. The main outcome variable measured physician EHR adoption status at three levels: not planning to use an EHR, planning to use an EHR, and using an EHR. Factors associated with EHR status were analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression.


RESULTS
Approximately 30% of physicians reported using an EHR in his or her practice. Physicians adopting EHRs were younger and had access to internal health information technologies support. In addition, working in an independent practice decreased the likelihood of physicians using and adopting EHRs.


CONCLUSIONS
This research provides further evidence of the barriers impeding EHR adoption. One such barrier includes the lack of access to internal information technology support staff versus having to outsource for technical support services. From a resource dependency perspective, barriers illustrated by this example may place undue dependencies on physicians if they pursue an EHR system. By addressing these barriers, physicians may be in a better position to adopt EHR system into his or her practice.
Bramble
James D
JD
Center for Health Services Research and Patient Safety, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA. jbramble@creighton.edu
Galt
Kim A
KA
Siracuse
Mark V
MV
Abbott
Amy A
AA
Drincic
Andjela
A
Paschal
Karen A
KA
Fuji
Kevin T
KT
D001292:Attitude to Computers; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires