
A new report says many hospitals are making progress in adopting electronic medical records but many have not seen the provider connectivity necessary to collaborate.
An article on Xerox Corp.’s website features research by Harris Interactive forĀ Optum Institute that questioned 301 hospital chief information officers on EMR systems and practices.
Researchers found 87 percent of hospitals have EMR in place.
The survey found 70 percent of CIO respondents believed their system met meaningful use 1 criteria as part of an EHR incentive program for Medicare and Medicaid.
Carol Simon, a senior vice president and director for the Optum Institute of Sustainable Health, summarized the researchers’ findings in the article.
Simon pointed to six areas of technological concern for hospital CIOs including:
- The continual rise of technology-related spending as a result of modifications and new EMR systems
- Healthcare information gaps as a result of information not always being readily available
- Data accuracy and the high cost of creating interoperability
- Compliance barriers with meaningful use requirements
- Putting EMR systems in cloud computing
- Preparedness for reform and increased responsibility to manage patient care