A new survey has revealed that an overwhelming majority of clinicians believe that health information exchanges (HIEs) will positively affect patient care.
The survey was conducted by American College of Physicians (ACP), the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Doctors Helping Doctors Transform Health Care, with the goal of assessing physician attitudes about electronic health information.
The survey participants included 527 physicians, more than half of whom work in private practices with five or fewer physicians treating ambulatory care patients. Eighteen percent work in community health or multispecialty clinics, and 25% work at hospitals.
Nearly three-fourths (71%) of respondents were using electronic health record (EHR) software in their offices. Nearly half (44%) of this group had been using electronic records for one to five years; 26% were new users to the technology with less than 12 months of experience.
Survey respondents expressed clear support for the idea that electronic clinical information exchange is having a positive impact, with 80% believing that it improves both the quality of care and the ability to coordinate care. In addition, 78% said it would help them meet the demands of new care models, such as accountable care organizations.
Also, 72% said they believe that information exchange would positively affect third-party reporting, and 72% believe it would enhance their ability to participate in incentive programs. Finally, 69% said it would improve efficiencies in their practice settings, while 57% said it would reduce healthcare costs.
Approximately 70% of clinicians expressed concern about current abilities to exchange patient data on a widespread basis. They identified major barriers as being the lack of interoperability among established EHR systems, the current lack of an information exchange infrastructure, and the cost of setting up and maintaining interfaces and exchanges.
Click here to access the report.
