For Immediate Release
Feb. 19, 2010
Contact: Pam Udall
phone: (512) 370-1382
cell: (512) 413-6807
Pam Udall
|
Brent Annear
phone: (512) 370-1381
cell: (512) 656-7320
Brent Annear
|
More Texas Medical Association (TMA) physicians use electronic tools to help them practice medicine than ever before, according to a newly released TMA survey.
TMA's third such survey measures whether physicians are using office technologies such as electronic medical records (EMRs), e-prescribing, and health information exchange. While adoption of electronic tools in the medical office is up, some challenges to adoption and utilization remain.
The "TMA Survey - Electronic Medical Records - 2009" indicates EMR adoption in Texas continues to rise. Some highlights:
- Physician use up: More than 4 in 10 physicians ― 43 percent ― report using an EMR now, up from 33 percent in 2007 and 27 percent in 2005;
- Top function: Physicians report using electronic charting (electronically entering information about the patient's visit into his or her medical record) as the most commonly used of all EMR functions;
- Top concern: Physicians express concern over data input. They report that it is difficult and time-consuming; and
- Lower cost: Physicians report spending approximately $18,000 to buy, learn, and implement EMR systems in their medical practices. This amount is down from an average of $25,000 in 2007.
"There's good and bad news in this survey," says Joseph H. Schneider, MD, chair of TMA's Ad Hoc Committee on Health Information Technology. "More physicians are using EMRs, but a significant portion [of doctors] are having technology and usability problems that in some cases threaten physician practice viability, patient safety, and continuity of care. Physicians need EMRs that are much more intuitive and easy to use, like Amazon, Google, or the iPhone."
As for the federal EMR stimulus incentives, 59 percent of Texas physicians indicated interest in trying to qualify.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing nearly 45,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA's key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. TMA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the association and raises funds to support the public health and science priority initiatives of TMA and the family of medicine.
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Last Updated On
May 06, 2016
Originally Published On
March 24, 2010