The key barriers to widespread implementation of EHRs include:
1. Financial Concerns:
a. Initial capital costs – The average cost for initial set up in a physician’s office is around $38,000.(1) The cost increases depending upon size of the organization.
b. Operating costs – This include software maintenance, data storage, the cost for initial data conversion, the initial low productivity on the EHRs.
1. Downtime during installation and training.
2. There are less availability of knowledgeable trainers.
3. There are less numbers of authenticate EHR vendors.
4. There exists lack of technical standards.
5. The privacy and security are still a matter of concern.
6. Lack of solid business case is one of the most important barriers to implementation of EHRs in the United States.
7. Physician’s reluctance to use EHRs and HIEs.
8. The currently …show more content…
In 2009, $30 billion were allocated to support meaningful use of health IT. Public policy decisions such as HITECH Act have authorized $27 billion as incentive for EHR adoption. This helped in addressing the financial concerns though could not eliminate it totally. Public policy decisions are helping in making the EHRs patient centric. Others include making health IT products interoperable, protecting the privacy and security of patients’ information, integrating new technologies with clinical practice. Also, trying to replace the fee for service payment method to other methods. The new methods which will be developed will make providers more accountable for delivering the care. Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s) is one of the proposed methods to achieve this. ACO’s will help to reduce expense, improve quality and help measure performance. Government is also working towards policies which will protect privacy of medical records. However, research in these public policy have been initiated lately and needs tremendous work to make other challenges