A framework for predicting EHR adoption attitudes: a physician survey

With a focus on improving the quality of patient care, the President George W. Bush called for electronic health records (EHRs) for all Americans by the year 2014; however, recent estimates for EHR adoption in the ambulatory care environment are just over 10 percent. The objective of this study was to determine the individual characteristics and the social and technical factors that may contribute to physician acceptance of EHRs. This first paper of a two-part study presents a framework grounded in Diffusion of Innovations theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, which was developed using case study and survey methods, and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Model variables explained over 73 percent of the variance in attitude toward EHRs, and acceptable model fit was achieved. Lack of user acceptance continues to impede diffusion of EHRs, and this analysis supports the impact that leadership and other organizational changes have on user adoption.