Changes to the electronic health records market in light of health information technology certification and meaningful use

Abstract

Background: Health information technology (HIT) certification and meaningful use are interventions encouraging the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in the USA. However, these initiatives also constitute a significant intervention which will change the structure of the EHR market. Objective: To describe quantitatively recent changes to both the demand and supply sides of the EHR market. Materials and methods: A cohort of 3447 of hospitals from the HIMSS Analytics Database (2006e10) was created. Using hospital referral regions to define the local market, we determined the percentage of hospitals using paper records, the number of vendors, and local EHR vendor competition using the HerfindahleHirschman Index. Changes over time were assessed using a series of regression equations and geographic information systems analyses. Results: Overall, there was movement away from paper records, upward trends in the number of EHR vendors, and greater competition. However, changes differed according to hospital size and region of the country. Changes were greatest for small hospitals, whereas competition and the number of vendors did not change dramatically for large hospitals. Discussion: The EHR market is changing most dramatically for those least equipped to handle broad technological transformation, which underscores the need for continued targeted support. Furthermore, wide variations across the nation indicate a continued role for states in the support of EHR utilization. Conclusion: The structure of the EHR market is undergoing substantial changes as desired by the proponents and architects of HIT certification and meaningful use. However, these transformations are not uniform for all hospitals or all the country.