Lately, small practice physicians’ EHR adoption rates have been a subject of great concern. A recent study by Health Affairs indicated that small and midsized practices are only implementing one-fifth of their EHR system’s capabilities. Considering small practices’ “why fix what’s not broken” mentality compounded with constant sales pressure from vendors, it is no wonder that small practices have been hesitant to fully adopt EHR systems.
A recent survey conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians of over 2700 members, reported that out of the respondents, the four most commonly selected EHR systems were those designed specifically for small practices. Taking into account that small practices, consisting of ten employees or less, constitute 75% of practices in the United States, to overlook the value and importance of this demographic would simply be imprudent of vendors. EHR vendors should strive to meet the needs and concerns of small practices from both a business standpoint, and with the welfare of the practices’ many patients in mind. Small practice physicians need personalized EHR systems designed exclusively to meet workflow needs, and it seems clear that as this kind of solution’s availability increases so will small practices’ adoption rates.
I believe that increased understanding of small practice’s EHR requirements and recent innovations in technology, have exciting implications for both small practice physicians and their patients. Small practices value an environment predicated upon individual attention, and believe that its EHR vendor should take the same approach. I think that in the near future we will see significant growth in the number of small practices implementing and fully adopting EHR solutions, as there will be more EHR solutions designed with their specific needs in mind.
What do you think the future holds for small practice EHR implementation and adoption rates?