Adoption of Electronic Health Care Records: Physician Heuristics and Hesitancy

AbstractPolitical, economic, and safety concerns have militated for the adoption of Electronic Health Records by physicians in the United States, but current rates of adoption have failed to penetrate the 50% level. A qualitative phenomenological study of practicing physicians reveals stumbling blocks to adoption. Maintaining a physician's perceived sense of control of the process is key. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are critical to the support of research, quality control, cost reduction, and implementation of new technologies and methods in healthcare. Progress in the USA towards adoption of standardized EHRs has been halting. We discuss the results of a phenomenological study of physicians and draw conclusions that will assist all stakeholders in building a more consistent, comprehensive, and cost-effective healthcare system. When attempting to persuade physicians to migrate to an EMR-based solution, a strong focus on the control that physicians will have should be emphasized. The transition to an EHR system is eased by clearly articulating early in the process the potential benefits and the degree of control physicians can have in the use of the applications