EHR acceptance factors in ambulatory care: a survey of physician perceptions

Abstract

With the U.S. government calling for electronic health records (EHRs) for all Americans by the year 2014, adoption of an interoperable EHR is imminent in America's future. However, recent estimates for EHR implementation in the ambulatory care environment are just over 10 percent. This second part of a two-part study examines EHR acceptance factors in an academic-based healthcare system. Innovation diffusion theory and the Technology Acceptance Model provide a combined theoretical framework for this case study. An online questionnaire was administered to 802 faculty, fellow, and resident physicians to explore the factors affecting attitudes toward EHR adoption. In this study, age, years in practice, clinical specialty, health system relationship, and prior computer experience were not predictors of EHR acceptance. In order to facilitate successful adoption of health information systems, social and behavioral factors must be addressed during the EHR planning phase.

Keywords: ambulatory care; attitudes; barriers; diffusion of innovations; electronic health records; health information systems; perceptions; physicians; technology acceptance; user adoption.