Health Information Technology

Abstract

Health information technology (IT) systems have been demonstrated to improve the processes of care and outcomes related to chronic disease. Less than 25% of ambulatory practices were using electronic health records (EHRs) in 2004; however, this number increased to more than 80% a decade later. This expansion can be attributed to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), which was designed to stimulate adoption of EHRs into the US healthcare system. HITECH promoted the “meaningful use” of EHRs in ways that would (1) electronically capture key patient health information, (2) use electronic patient information to facilitate clinical decision support, (3) facilitate reporting of quality measures to inform quality improvement efforts and to facilitate pay-for-performance reimbursement structures, (4) encourage patient self-management, and (5) improve transitions of care by facilitating sharing of patient information among treating providers. Sociotechnical factors are strong determinants for the successful implementation of health IT which involve end users in the implementation process, responsiveness to end-user feedback, adequate user training, and consideration of clinical workflow. The future success of health IT has less to do with advances in technology and more to do with viewing health IT as a key tool that needs to successfully integrate into clinical workflows.