Barriers to ambulatory EHR: who are 'imminent adopters' and how do they differ from other physicians?

Objective Despite existing knowledge regarding electronic health record (EHR) barriers in the ambulatory setting, little is known, specifically, about physicians who are likely to adopt EHR imminently. The current study identifies these imminent adopters and compares their barriers to other physicians. Design and measurements Mail survey of Florida physicians (n=14 921) about barriers to EHR and adoption intentions. The survey asked respondents to classify themselves as planning to adopt an EHR system within one year (herein referred to as 'imminent adopters'), as planning to adopt an EHR systembut not within one year ('interested adopters'), and as not considering an EHR system. Chi-square analysis and logistic regression models were used to identify trends among imminent adopters and to compare barriers among respondents in each of the adoption categories above. Results A total of 4203 returned surveys represented a 28.2% response rate. Imminent adopters were significantly less likely to be in solo practice (19.6% vs. 40.0%, P