8/6/07

Vol. V, No. 28
Health Information Technology Team
Brought to you by Thomas Jefferson University’s Department of Health Policy

United States Trails Other Countries in Health IT Adoption

According to CDC statistics, approximately 1in 10 U.S. physicians in 2005 used EHRs. Denmark
currently leads all European and English-speaking countries in its use of EHRs and other digital
health information. The Danish government provides universal health care, and most patients’ health
data are stored in a single system that can be accessed and updated by patients’ primary care
physicians and other health professionals. Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis noted the
Department of Veterans Affairs’ progress in EHR adoption, saying, “I think we need to get serious
about it and look at models that are working”. The U.S. has set a goal to create a nationwide health
information network by 2014. (iHealthBeat, 7/27)

Poll: More U.S. Adults Seek Health Information Online

According to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive, the number of people who go online to search
for health information is growing. Adults who go online to learn about physical conditions,
symptoms and possible treatments now represent 84% of all online adults, up from last year’s 80%,
and 72% in 2005. The poll of 1,010 respondents found that adults go online for health information
about 5.7 times per month and of the 225 million adults in the U.S., an estimated 160 million have
searched for health information online, up 37% from 2005. (AHRQ, 7/31)

Reports Find Security, Privacy Variations in Health Data Exchanges

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released a series of reports examining the
variations in data privacy and security among 34 regional health information organizations. The
findings indicate that health information organizations varied in the level of adoption of electronic
health data exchanges, state health care market forces, and legal and regulatory conditions related to
health information. The reports recommended additional research and guidance in determining
states’ varying interpretations of HIPAA and improving stakeholder awareness; assessing
technologies that could protect the security and privacy of individuals; designing a system that
matches patients with their health information and developing a standard set of definitions and terms
to ease health data sharing. (iHealthBeat, 8/2)

Survey: IT, EHRs Considered Best Way to Improve Care

According to a report from Modern Healthcare, the adoption of IT and electronic health records is
considered to be the most effective strategies for improving efficiency and the quality of patient care.
The Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Opinion Leaders Survey polled 214 individuals to
identify the most important mechanisms to improving care. According to the survey, 66% of
respondents said that IT and EHR adoption are the top priorities for improving efficiency, while 59%
selected public reporting of provider performance on quality measures and 51% selected financial
incentives for quality of care, such as pay for performance. The survey also found that 75% of
survey respondents supported the mandatory reporting of medical errors; 70% said the federal
government should support providers’ IT investments; 60% said reported medical errors should be
publicized; 58% said health plans and insurers should back IT expansion; and 7% said the Patient
Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 sufficiently reduces medical errors. (iHealthBeat, 7/30)

Any questions regarding this newsletter can be directed

to Albert Crawford at albert.crawford@jefferson.edu.