Business
Are physicians technology wallflowers?
■ An occasional snapshot of current facts and trends in medicine.
Quick View. Posted June 26, 2006
While more physicians have access to clinical information technology, many still don't use it for the five types of clinical activities that have been shown to improve patient care.
In a study released June 7, and based on a 2004-05 survey with responses from more than 6,600 practicing physicians around the country, the Center for Studying Health System Change found that the number of doctors who had access to information technology tools rose at least 5 percentage points each from 2000-01 levels. But the Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan policy research organization cautioned that those results "should be considered an upper bound on the proportion of physicians regularly using clinical IT in their practices," because the survey did not ask doctors if they actually used the technology or how often.
Note: For first question, figures do not add up to 100% because of multiple responses.
Source: Center for Studying Health System Change
