![\"ehr.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.nature.com\/spoonful\/files\/ehr.jpg\")
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Two years ago, the US government set aside close to $20 billion in stimulus funds to encourage hospitals and physicians to digitize their patient records as a way to save time and reduce doctor mistakes. But according to a survey published this week, most physicians remain wary of the price of going electronic.<\/p>\n
The survey<\/a> of 500 American health practitioners, conducted by the web-based medical practice management company athenahealth<\/a>, found that 75% of physicians think that so-called electronic health records (EHRs) can improve patient care, yet 88% said that costs remain a big issue for implementation.<\/p>\n Indeed, establishing a new electronic medical record system can set back a physician up to $124,000<\/a>, according to a 2009 study by the advisory firm Avalere Health.<\/p>\n However, such hefty investments up front can pay off in the long run. For example, a December 2010 survey<\/a> from CDW<\/span> Healthcare<\/A> found that medical practices can rake in as much as $151,000 per physician per year in cost savings once EHRs are put in place.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, according to Kenneth Mandl<\/a>, an informatics researcher at Children’s Hospital Boston, the cost of adopting EHRs can be reduced dramatically if the systems keep pace with emerging technology \u2014 for instance, by creating smart phone-like apps<\/a> for managing medical records. \u201cThese applications can flexibly evolve with the clinician and with health reform,\u201d Mandl told Nature Medicine<\/EM>.<\/p>\n To read more about EHRs, check out our recent news focus<\/a>.<\/p>\n Image: CDC<\/span><\/EM><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Two years ago, the US government set aside close to $20 billion in stimulus funds to encourage hospitals and physicians to digitize their patient records as a way to save time and reduce doctor mistakes. But according to a survey published this week, most physicians remain wary of the price of going electronic. The survey of 500 American health practitioners, conducted by the web-based medical practice management company athenahealth, found that 75% of physicians think that so-called electronic health records (EHRs) can improve patient care, yet 88% said that costs remain a big issue for implementation. Indeed, establishing a new … Read more<\/a> Continue reading