Study: Majority of Physicians Could Exchange Information Electronically in 2011

In 2011, the majority of office-based physicians could view lab results and exchange medication information electronically, and one-third of physicians could exchange clinical summaries with other providers, according to a study conducted by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and published in the American Journal of Managed Care.

The results were based on 4,326 responses from the 2011 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Electronic Medical Record Supplement, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Additional findings include:

  • 55 percent of all physicians, and 78 percent of physicians with an electronic health record, could send prescriptions electronically.
  • 67 percent of all physicians, and 87 percent of physicians with an EHR, could view electronic lab results
  • 35 percent of all physicians, and 54 percent of physicians with an EHR, could send an electronic order to a lab
  • 38 percent of all physicians, and 61 percent of physicians with an EHR, could provide clinical summaries to patients.
  • 31 percent of all physicians, and 49 percent of physicians with an EHR exchanged patient clinical summaries with another provider.

"The results of this study are encouraging because they show that a majority of physicians who use EHRs can electronically exchange test results, medication data and clinical care summaries with patients, all of which are integral to better care coordination and ultimately necessary for universal interoperability," said lead author and ONC senior adviser Vaishali Patel in a news release. "As stage 2 of meaningful use moves forward, it will be important to continue monitoring physicians' exchange capabilities and actual exchange activity to ensure that health information follows the patient wherever they go."

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