Three in four US physicians had an electronic health record in 2014; ERC states vary widely

In 2014, only 74.1% of US office-based physicians had a certified electronic health record (EHR) system, up from 67.5% the year before, according to a new CDC brief. ERC states varied considerably with Connecticut lowest in the region at 67.5% and Vermont highest at 85%, significantly higher than the US average. However while most US physicians have EHRs, only 33.7% of those with EHRs share patient information outside their practice. Again ERC states varied widely from Massachusetts at 48.7% (statistically above the US average) to New Jersey at 17.7% (statistically below the US average). Nationally only about one in ten physicians with an EHR shared patient information with home health, long term care or behavioral health providers. Electronic health records are key to improving care decisions and safety, consumer engagement and participation, care coordination, evaluation, research and better health planning. The federal government provides substantial funding to promote electronic health records.