Health IT Gap Between Large, Small Hospitals Widens

The federal government's incentive programs for the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) is widening the digital divide between large and small providers.

In fact, the 15% gap in EHR adoption between small and large hospitals seen in 2010 has grown to nearly 22% in 2011, according to a study published in the May issue of Health Affairs. The report, entitled Small, Nonteaching, And Rural Hospitals Continue To Be Slow In Adopting Electronic Health Record Systems, is the first nationally representative survey of hospital EHR system adoption since the federal incentive programs began. It examined EHR adoption among U.S. hospitals, using data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey of health information technology. The report says: "The widening of previously described gaps in adoption of EHR systems based on hospital size, teaching status, location, and region of the country grew substantially, at least in absolute terms."