Electronic Health Records: Synthesizing Recent Evidence and Current Policy.

The federal government has embarked on an ambitious course to ensure that most Americans have electronic health records (EHRs) within the next 10 years. Although EHRs have the potential to improve quality of care, reduce medical errors, and lower administrative costs, incorporating them into clinical practice will require large investments in new technology, in addition to changes in existing systems and processes. This four-page brief assesses health care providers’ use of EHRs, which seems modest among office-based physicians, noting that it may take several years before EHRs can be used to monitor performance and quality-based payments. However, current policies and recent legislation may expedite their adoption.