One in Six EHR Users Wants to Switch

Healthcare Technology Online followed up on a poll conducted by Black Book Rankings. Looks like many providers are leaving their current EMR systems for web-based alternatives. That’s not much of a surprise, though. It only takes a mild reading of the social web’s pulse to know docs’ sentiments range from frustrated to complacent with regards to available software.

According to Healthcare Technology Online, “Healthcare providers have never had a ‘romantic’ relationship with EHRs. On the contrary, many physicians despise the technology. However, the HITECH Act and Meaningful Use (MU) incentives did create an environment of unprecedented EHR demand among the provider community. This initiative achieved the desired result of increasing EHR adoption, but it also created an artificial market for dozens of immature EHR products.”

READ MORE ABOUT THE BLACK BOOK RANKINGS POLL

Here are some noteworthy numbers that were extracted from the study: 

  • Nearly 17,000 active EHR users studied revealed that 1 in 6 medical practices could switch out their first choice EHR by year’s end.
  • With unmet expectations in system features, implementations, deliverables, and client support issues mounting, up to 17% of all currently implemented physician practices gear up for changing out solutions, in what may become the Year of the Great EHR Vendor Switch.
  • Eighty percent of vendors switching EHRs cited their current EHR’s performance did not meet their practice’s needs as the number one reason for a switch.
  • Seventy-seven percent responded that their EHR’s design did not meet their practice or specialty’s needs.
  • Fifty-one percent of providers who stated they were dissatisfied with their EHR system told Black Book they would prefer a web-based system.

How about we flip the conversation for a minute? Has anyone had a GOOD EHR experience? If so, let us know what you liked about it, how it improved doing your job, and your ability to treat patients.