Small Nonteaching and Rural Hospitals Continue to be Slow in Adopting Electronic Health Record Systems

In 2011, the federal government adopted new incentives to promote the meaningful use of health information technology. Correspondingly, from 2010 to 2011, the number of hospitals with an electronic health record system increased from 15 percent to nearly 27 percent. Depending on the type of hospital, however, the news is mixed. Researchers found substantial gaps in adoption rates of at least a basic electronic record system over the past four years based on hospital size, teaching status, and location. Small, nonteaching, and rural hospitals continue to adopt electronic health record systems more slowly than other types of hospitals.