EMR/EHR in Arizona

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are in use in Arizona, and at adoption rates we currently believe to be approximately in line with the national average. Through surveys that will be taken in 2008 and 2009, we will have data on adoption rates specific to Arizona.

Currently, the Office of the National Coordinator estimates that approximately 14% of clinician offices have an EMR. Estimates of adoption rates for health care facilities, such as hospitals and clinics, are difficult to ascertain. In many studies, Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) is used as a proxy for EHR/EMR in hospitals and clinics. Modern Healthcare's annual 2007 survey reported that 58.5% of the healthcare executives responded as either having CPOE, or being in the process of implementation. The Leapfrog Group, however, which has standards for indicating whether a CPOE system is fully functional, relayed that only 10% of hospitals have an operational CPOE system meeting Leapfrog's standards, according to their 2007 survey of 1,280 participants. The good news is that although there are discrepancies in the actual adoption percentages, there is widespread agreement that the adoption rates are increasing.

In Arizona, great examples of fully-digital facilities have gained national attention. Banner Estrella Medical Center, which opened in January 2005, continues to be one of a handful of full-digital hospitals in the country. Newsweek magazine reported in their October 16, 2006 issue that Banner Estrella was at the time one of 10 hospitals across the country that "are using innovation, hard work and imagination to improve care, reduce errors and save money."

"Banner Estrella was designed and built from the outset with an eye for the future as a true digital hospital, integrating care through the use of information technology," said Mike Warden, chief information officer at Banner Health, and a board member of Arizona Health-e Connection.

Other facilities and clinician practices in Arizona have either converted, or are converting to EHRs and EMRs, implementing them in an existing facility, or designing facilities as fully-digital from the ground up. Arizona Health-e Connection is providing a forum to discuss how we can enhance this continued adoption of EHRs and EMRs, and launching initiatives to implement identified strategies.

Through its new EAzRx Initiative, Arizona Health-e Connection will work with government agencies, health care stakeholders, and consumers to enhance patient safety through the specific practice of fully electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) and medication history availability. This initiative will not only promote e-prescribing, but also the use of e-Prescribing functionality through EMRs and EHRs. E-Prescribing, when combined with a full patient record and lab results, can greatly enhance patient safety and outcomes.

Stay tuned as Arizona Health-e Connection uses this website to show how you can play a role in enhancing Arizona's adoption of EMRs and EHRs.