EHR Adoption Increases 133% at Community Health Centers

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) have increased their EHR adoption by 133% over the past four years, says a report from The Commonwealth Fund, with 93% of FQHCs in possession of an EHR and 85% of these community provider organizations reporting advanced HIT capabilities. With up to 80% of FQHC patients using public insurance or lacking coverage all together, the impressive leap of HIT adoption among safety net providers bodes well for patients with the highest risk of chronic disease and poor access to preventative care, even though significant challenges remain.

“It’s encouraging to see how far community health centers have come in their health information technology use,” said Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, MD. “Their progress demonstrates that with concerted investment and support, substantial change is possible. It makes the case for continued investment to make sure these clinics can continue caring for some of our nation’s most vulnerable patients.”

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Source: EHR Intelligence