Organisational factors associated with adoption of comprehensive and basic electronic-record systems in US hospitals

This study examined the association between organisational factors and three levels of adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems among 3,331 non-federal hospitals in the USA. The results indicated that hospital's overall resource capacity and resource use efficiency are important organisational factors for hospitals with basic and comprehensive EHR systems. Moreover, hospitals affiliated with moderately centralised systems were more likely to adopt a higher level EHR system. Current policies of providing financial incentives and technical support for hospitals, especially small or/and less staffed hospitals, to adopt EHR have merit and should continue. Given the relative success of not-for-profit hospitals in regional health information organisations (RHIOs) in adopting EHRs, strengthening these organisations may also have a positive effect on the adoption of EHR.