Kolodner laments current state of U.S. healthcare IT
Only four percent of primary care practices have EHRs, and even if those practices have one or two providers, said Robert Kolodner, MD, national coordinator for health IT for Health and Human Services Department at the Conference and Exhibition of the North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance in Asheville, N.C.
“Approximately 68 percent of hospitals have some kind of automation, but only 11 percent have fully-implemented EHRs,” said Kolodner. “And even worse, only a quarter of those fully-implemented hospitals say that their doctors use their EHRs.”
Kolodner’s speech focused on the importance of state-issued healthcare IT initiatives, by urging states to collaborate on topics, such as physician licensure for interstate telehealth.
In his comments on U.S. healthcare spending, he said, “We’re paying more, but we’re ranked much lower than most other developed nations in health outcomes. Health IT is the right thing for our families and communities, but it’s also the right business case.”
“Approximately 68 percent of hospitals have some kind of automation, but only 11 percent have fully-implemented EHRs,” said Kolodner. “And even worse, only a quarter of those fully-implemented hospitals say that their doctors use their EHRs.”
Kolodner’s speech focused on the importance of state-issued healthcare IT initiatives, by urging states to collaborate on topics, such as physician licensure for interstate telehealth.
In his comments on U.S. healthcare spending, he said, “We’re paying more, but we’re ranked much lower than most other developed nations in health outcomes. Health IT is the right thing for our families and communities, but it’s also the right business case.”