Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)

Electronic Medical Records (EMRs)
Barriers and Enablers
Medical Practices with 50 or More FTE Physicians
Barriers to implementation of EMRs in group practices
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Lack of resources to invest in information technology
Lack of provider support
Difficulty establishing a good return on investment
Time and effort to prepare the organization for EMR
Difficulty integrating systems
Lack of easy way to input data and notes
Skills and preferences of existing support staff
Lack of standards within the organization
Other or don’t know
Limitations of existing products/technology
Security concerns
Lack of management support
49.4%
41.4%
37.9%
37.9%
31.0%
21.8%
20.7%
13.8%
13.7%
9.2%
5.7%
1.1%
The above results are based on 68 responses to the question, “Based on your opinion and experience,
which are the three most significant barriers to EMR implementation in your organization?”
Enablers that facilitate implementation of EMRs in group practices
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Sought active leadership involvement
Sought active provider involvement
Sought active staff involvement
Created pre-installation plan
Implemented thorough due diligence process
Conducted a site visit to an organization already using the product
Provided your own pre-implementation training to staff and providers
Implemented an EMR pilot
Vendor provided on-site training
Utilized project management tools such as time line, status reports, etc.
Performed Return On Investment analysis
Implemented post-implementation assistance
93.9%
93.9%
90.9%
84.8%
81.8%
78.8%
72.7%
66.7%
66.7%
66.7%
63.6%
63.6%
The above results are based on 33 EMR user responses to the question, “Did your organization
engage in any of the following activities as part of the selection process?” The results list the 12
most frequently cited enablers.
A more complete report on this collaborative project by the MGMA Center for Research & Pfizer
Health Solutions Inc, is available at www.mgma.com/research
The MGMA Center for Research is the research and development companion to the Medical Group
Management Association (MGMA). The Center for Research, a 501(c)(3) research foundation, conducts quantitative and qualitative research to advance the art and science of medical group management. Visit
www.mgma.com/research.

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