The Digitization of Patient Care: A Review of the Effects of Electronic Health Records on Health Care Quality and Utilization

Abstract

Electronic health records (EHRs) adoption has become nearly universal during the past decade. Academic research into the effects of EHRs has examined factors influencing adoption, clinical care benefits, financial and cost implications, and more. We provide an interdisciplinary overview and synthesis of this literature, drawing on work in public and population health, informatics, medicine, management information systems, and economics. We then chart paths forward for policy, practice, and research.

Keywords: EHR; adoption; clinical care quality; electronic health records; machine learning; medical costs.