Significant Increase in Electronic Health Record Use in Minnesota Clinics

Published Monday, October 15, 2007

Stratis Health has released the final results of a comprehensive survey measuring the level of electronic health record adoption and implementation in Minnesota's adult primary care clinics. Survey results show a significant increase in the number of clinics that have implemented or are in the process of implementing an electronic health record system from 46% in 2005 to 62% in 2007.

"This is exciting news for Minnesota," said Jennifer Lundblad, President and CEO of Stratis Health. "This impressive rate of electronic health record adoption will have a significant impact on the ability of Minnesota clinics to measure and improve the quality of care they provide to their patients. We applaud these clinics on their flexibility and openness to working with the latest forms of health information technology. "

As part of its work as the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Minnesota, Stratis Health has since 2005 been assisting adult primary care clinics with the adoption and implementation of electronic health records (EHRs). To help prepare for that work, Stratis Health conducted a survey of 603 clinics in 2005 to assess the status of EHR implementation. The survey was repeated this year.

The overall increase in EHR implementation reflected in the 2007 survey includes a rural increase from 36% to 48% and an urban increase from 54% to 71%. The top three barriers to implementation cited by clinics in the 2007 survey were: 1) concerns about physician ability to input data into a computerized medical record; 2) loss of productivity during transition to an EHR system; and 3) lack of capital resources to invest in an EHR.

Response rates for the two surveys were 75.6% in 2007 and 75% in 2005.