Disparities in Primary Care EHR Adoption Rates

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Primary Care Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Electronic Health Records (EHR) are crucial for modern healthcare delivery.
• Adoption rates and disparities in EHR implementation remain a significant concern in primary care.
• Understanding factors influencing EHR adoption is vital for equitable healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Electronic Health Record (EHR) adoption among primary care providers in Georgia.
• To identify disparities in EHR adoption based on practice characteristics, payer mix, and community factors.
• To assess the impact of these disparities on healthcare access and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of EHR
• Go Live
• status frequency.
• Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios.
• Assessment of adoption variances by practice size, type, payer mix, and community characteristics.

Main Results:

• Large practices and Community Health Centers (CHCs) showed higher EHR adoption rates (>80%) compared to rural health clinics (53%).
• Medicaid-predominant providers had significantly lower EHR adoption (68.9%) and a 47% higher risk of not achieving "Go Live" status.
• Significant disparities in EHR adoption were observed across different practice types and patient populations.

Conclusions:

• EHR adoption disparities exist among primary care providers in Georgia, particularly affecting Medicaid-predominant practices and underserved settings.
• These adoption gaps may worsen existing health outcome disparities for vulnerable patient populations.
• Targeted interventions and support, similar to those for CHCs, are needed to promote equitable EHR adoption and reduce healthcare disparities.