Doc-exec use of IT has doubled: ACPE survey

Compared with a similar survey five years ago, information technology use has almost doubled among members of the American College of Physician Executives, but money remains the primary reason why some have not implemented an IT system. About 1,000 of the Tampa, Fla.-based organization’s 10,000 members participated in the survey that was posted online in November and December of last year, and 64.5% said that they have an electronic medical-record system in place—compared with 33.1% five years ago. Almost 10% in this year’s survey said that they were testing a system compared with 14% in the 2004 survey. Only 5.9% said that they haven’t started planning for EMR implementation vs. 15.1% five years ago. In terms of computerized physician-order entry, 43.8% said that they were already using it while 13.9% said that they were testing a system. In 2004, 23.3% said that they had implemented CPOE and 15.8% were in the testing phase. The percentage of members who had no CPOE development under way decreased to 13.7% from 22.4% in 2004. At 32.9%, reducing liability and medical errors was the prime reason given for adopting IT, while lack of money and resources was the top reason for not doing so. This was cited by 40.9% of the respondents compared with 45.9% in 2004.