Use of computerized medical records in home health and hospice agencies: United States, 2000.

Abstract

Objective: The use of information technology (IT), such as computerized medical records (CMR), has been proposed as a method for increasing the efficiency of delivered services, raising the level of the quality of care provided, and decreasing the number of medical errors. Research on IT and CMRs in health care has focused primarily on hospitals and physicians' offices, and there currently exists no nationally representative information for home health and hospice agencies. This report provides the first nationally representative estimates of the prevalence of CMR use in home health and hospice agencies in the United States in 2000.

Methods: Data are from the 2000 National Home and Hospice Care Survey. Data presented include estimates of home health and hospice agencies that are currently using or planning to use a CMR in the next year. CMR use is also presented by agency characteristics.

Results and conclusions: Approximately 32% of all agencies were using a CMR. Nearly one-third of home health agencies (32.1%), one-fifth of hospice agencies (18.6%), and two-fifths of mixed-type agencies (offering both services) (40.3%) reported using a CMR. Number of current active patients and provision of "high technology" services (e.g., respiratory, intravenous, or enterostomal therapy) were significantly associated with use of CMRs. While 23.0% of agencies with 50 or fewer patients reported use of a CMR, the proportion almost doubled to 44.8%, among agencies with 100 or more patients. Over one-third (34.8%) of agencies that provided high technology services reported using a CMR, compared with one-fifth (20.8%) of agencies that did not provide high technology services. No other agency characteristics were found to have a significant relationship with CMR use.