EHR Implementation Top Priority, CSC Study Finds

Changes to the healthcare system are coming rapidly and from all directions. A new survey of hospital executives by Falls Church, Va.-based CSC revealed that although meeting the requirements for meaningful use incentives is a high priority (90 percent report that achieving meaningful use of an inpatient EHR is one of their top two priorities; 67 percent say it is their highest priority), executives are also busy planning for other aspects of health reform, including changes to payment models.

A majority of hospital executives (67 percent) have already implemented or are in the process of implementing new capabilities in order to meet meaningful use final rules; and 51 percent are targeting fiscal year 2011 to qualify for EHR incentives. Health information exchange (HIE) was also deemed a priority as 66 percent planned to participate. Currently only 11 percent participate in a statewide HIE while 26 percent have established a private hospital-sponsored HIE. Other report findings focused on resource strains and accountable care organizations.