The percentage of hospitals that use electronic health-record systems more than doubled from 2009 to 2011, according to the results of a new American Hospital Association survey that HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius touted at an event in Kansas City, Mo.

More than one-third of hospitals (35%) had adopted EHRs as of 2011 versus 16% that had done so in 2009, according to the survey. In addition, about 2,000 hospitals and more than 41,000 physicians have received a share of $3.1 billion in incentives for their meaningful use of EHR systems, according to an HHS news release issued in conjunction with Sebelius’ visit to Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley Health Science Institute.

“Healthcare professionals and hospitals are taking advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to begin using smarter, new technology that improves care and creates the jobs we need for an economy built to last,” Sebelius said in the release. Also according to the survey results—which the AHA shared with HHS and that HHS officially reported—85% of hospitals plan to apply for health IT incentives by 2015. The CMS also reported that the U.S. has distributed $3.1 billion in incentive payments to doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers that have demonstrated the meaningful use of EHRs.