Only about one-third of the nation's hospital emergency departments and outpatient departments use electronic medical records, while an even smaller percentage of physicians' offices use them, according to survey findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the findings, about 31 percent of hospital emergency departments and 29 percent of outpatient departments use electronic medical records, while only 17 percent of physicians' offices have such systems. Only 8 percent of physicians reported using computerized physician order entry systems.

To download the CDC report, go to www.cdc.gov/ nchs/data/ad/ad353.pdf.

You can hear David Brailer, MD, PhD, national coordinator for health information technology for the Department of Health and Human Services, discuss how to break down the barriers to healthcare technology at HFMA's 2005 Annual National Institute in Las Vegas, June 26-30. For information, go to www.hfma.org/ani.

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