Despite significant investments in healthcare IT, recent studies have found a “surprising” level of skepticism about its benefits. Many physicians are still not convinced that electronic health records or health information exchanges will improve patient outcomes, access to services or reduce unnecessary procedures. As these are the very benefits cited for driving adoption of both EHRs and HIEs, why does the disconnect between the promise of healthcare IT and actual acceptance still persist?
There are significant gaps identified between US physicians and their counterparts. US doctors are on the low end of worldwide physicians who think healthcare IT use will improve diagnostic decisions, compared to their international colleagues.
Younger physicians are also more likely to believe that healthcare IT has a positive impact across a wider range of benefits, and believe EHRs and HIEs will improve care coordination and most believe these technologies will improve access to quality data to support clinical research. A lower percentage of older physicians are in agreement.
What might account for this difference?
Typically, younger physicians have just had the experience with and tend to be more open to using new technology. An older physician who may never have used technology in patient interactions is likely to be at least initially uncomfortable typing while talking to a patient. Increased familiarity makes a real difference in perception of benefits. Those physicians who use technology routinely for a wide range of health care IT functions such as electronic entry of patient notes, electronic ordering and prescribing have a more positive attitude toward the overall benefits technology can deliver.
Physicians do want to embrace change but for a significant, and in many cases, older population, raising their comfort level with technology remains a challenge. The healthcare organizations that maintain this awareness actively involve physicians in developing manageable approaches, achievable targets and shorter term outcomes can increase the familiarity of physicians with both technology as well as their perception of its benefits.
