Can Docs be Paid to Adopt EHRs?

Just how effective are government incentive payments to physicians to encourage them to adopt electronic health records, as President Obama outlined in his economic stimulus package? So, so, according to a survey conducted by a data interchange company in Massachusetts.

March survey results showed big jumps in the percentages of practices that are currently implementing an EHR, or will do so within three months, six months or 12 months.

Still, only 26 percent of respondents said they plan on following meaningful use criteria to qualify for incentive payments, and 63 percent were unsure what the meaningful use reporting requirements are. Nearly half--48 percent--said meaningful use requirements would not drive their EHR business decisions.