Health Affairs, 24, no. 5 (2005): 1103-1117 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.24.5.1103 © 2005 by Project HOPE	New Online   How Would Obama, McCain Cover The Uninsured?   Debating Cost Of Uninsured   Try Medicare-For-All   HA Blog Top 10

This Article Figures Only Full Text (HTML) Reprint (PDF) Technical Executive Summary Submit a response to this article View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Archive Download to Citation Manager Reprints & Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (75) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hillestad, R. Articles by Taylor, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hillestad, R. Articles by Taylor, R. Related Collections Health Reform Health Information Technology Quality Of Care Research And Technology Health Spending

Economics Of Health Information Technology

Can Electronic Medical Record Systems Transform Health Care? Potential Health Benefits, Savings, And Costs

To broadly examine the potential health and financial benefits of health information technology (HIT), this paper compares health care with the use of IT in other industries. It estimates potential savings and costs of widespread adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) systems, models important health and safety benefits, and concludes that effective EMR implementation and networking could eventually save more than $81 billion annually—by improving health care efficiency and safety—and that HIT-enabled prevention and management of chronic disease could eventually double those savings while increasing health and other social benefits. However, this is unlikely to be realized without related changes to the health care system.

                      What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. S. Kazley and Y. A. Ozcan Do Hospitals With Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) Provide Higher Quality Care?: An Examination of Three Clinical Conditions Med Care Res Rev, August 1, 2008; 65(4): 496 - 513. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. M. DesRoches, E. G. Campbell, S. R. Rao, K. Donelan, T. G. Ferris, A. Jha, R. Kaushal, D. E. Levy, S. Rosenbaum, A. E. Shields, et al. Electronic Health Records in Ambulatory Care -- A National Survey of Physicians N. Engl. J. Med., July 3, 2008; 359(1): 50 - 60. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Greenhalgh, G. W Wood, T. Bratan, K. Stramer, and S. Hinder Patients' attitudes to the summary care record and HealthSpace: qualitative study BMJ, June 7, 2008; 336(7656): 1290 - 1295. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. J. Mongan, T. G. Ferris, and T. H. Lee Options for Slowing the Growth of Health Care Costs N. Engl. J. Med., April 3, 2008; 358(14): 1509 - 1514. [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Bodenheimer Coordinating Care -- A Perilous Journey through the Health Care System N. Engl. J. Med., March 6, 2008; 358(10): 1064 - 1071. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. U. Himmelstein, S. Woolhandler, J. C. Goodman, and R. M. Sade Our Health Care System at the Crossroads: Single Payer or Market Reform? Ann. Thorac. Surg., November 1, 2007; 84(5): 1435 - 1446. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Berenson Separating Fact From Fiction: A New Role For Health Affairs Health Aff., November 1, 2007; 26(6): 1528 - 1530. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. E. Shields, P. Shin, M. G. Leu, D. E. Levy, R. M. Betancourt, D. Hawkins, and M. Proser Adoption Of Health Information Technology In Community Health Centers: Results Of A National Survey Health Aff., September 1, 2007; 26(5): 1373 - 1383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Linder, J. Ma, D. W. Bates, B. Middleton, and R. S. Stafford Electronic Health Record Use and the Quality of Ambulatory Care in the United States Arch Intern Med, July 9, 2007; 167(13): 1400 - 1405. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Blumenthal and J. P. Glaser Information Technology Comes to Medicine N. Engl. J. Med., June 14, 2007; 356(24): 2527 - 2534. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Crosson, P. A. Ohman-Strickland, K. A. Hahn, B. DiCicco-Bloom, E. Shaw, A. J. Orzano, and B. F. Crabtree Electronic Medical Records and Diabetes Quality of Care: Results From a Sample of Family Medicine Practices Ann. Fam. Med, May 1, 2007; 5(3): 209 - 215. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. P. Welch, D. Bazarko, K. Ritten, Y. Burgess, R. Harmon, and L. G. Sandy Electronic Health Records in Four Community Physician Practices: Impact on Quality and Cost of Care J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc., May 1, 2007; 14(3): 320 - 328. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. Davidson and J. Heineke Toward an Effective Strategy for the Diffusion and Use of Clinical Information Systems J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc., May 1, 2007; 14(3): 361 - 367. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Van Swol Does Pay-for-Performance Improve the Quality of Health Care? Ann Intern Med, April 3, 2007; 146(7): 538 - 538. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Cronquist Christensen and D. Remler Information and Communications Technology in Chronic Disease Care: What Are the Implications for Payment? Med Care Res Rev, April 1, 2007; 64(2): 123 - 147. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. F. Wilson Lessons for Health Care Could Be Found Abroad Ann Intern Med, March 20, 2007; 146(6): 473 - 476. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. R. Simon, R. Kaushal, P. D. Cleary, C. A. Jenter, L. A. Volk, E. J. Orav, E. Burdick, E. G. Poon, and D. W. Bates Physicians and Electronic Health Records: A Statewide Survey Arch Intern Med, March 12, 2007; 167(5): 507 - 512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. M. Kuo, P. D. Mullen, A. McQueen, P. R. Swank, and J. C. Rogers Cross-Sectional Comparison of Electronic and Paper Medical Records on Medication Counseling in Primary Care Clinics: A Southern Primary-care Urban Research Network (SPUR-Net) Study J Am Board Fam Med, March 1, 2007; 20(2): 164 - 173. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Dorr, L. M. Bonner, A. N. Cohen, R. S. Shoai, R. Perrin, E. Chaney, and A. S. Young Informatics Systems to Promote Improved Care for Chronic Illness: A Literature Review J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc., March 1, 2007; 14(2): 156 - 163. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Wallace Reshaping Cancer Learning Through The Use Of Health Information Technology Health Aff., March 1, 2007; 26(2): w169 - w177. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. C. Classen, A. J. Avery, and D. W. Bates Evaluation and Certification of Computerized Provider Order Entry Systems J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc., January 1, 2007; 14(1): 48 - 55. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. R. Simon, R. Kaushal, P. D. Cleary, C. A. Jenter, L. A. Volk, E. G. Poon, E. J. Orav, H. G. Lo, D. H. Williams, and D. W. Bates Correlates of Electronic Health Record Adoption in Office Practices: A Statewide Survey J. Am. Med. Inform. Assoc., January 1, 2007; 14(1): 110 - 117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. C. Oeffinger and M. S. McCabe Models for Delivering Survivorship Care J. Clin. Oncol., November 10, 2006; 24(32): 5117 - 5124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Goodman What Is Consumer-Directed Health Care? Health Aff., November 1, 2006; 25(6): w540 - w543. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Sidorov It Ain't Necessarily So: The Electronic Health Record And The Unlikely Prospect Of Reducing Health Care Costs. Health Aff., July 1, 2006; 25(4): 1079 - 1085. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. P. Fitzgibbons, D. R. Bordley, L. R. Berkowitz, B. W. Miller, and M. C. Henderson Redesigning residency education in internal medicine: a position paper from the association of program directors in internal medicine. Ann Intern Med, June 20, 2006; 144(12): 920 - 926. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. F. Anderson, B. K. Frogner, R. A. Johns, and U. E. Reinhardt Health care spending and use of information technology in OECD countries. Health Aff., May 1, 2006; 25(3): 819 - 831. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Fiscella and H. J. Geiger Health information technology and quality improvement for community health centers. Health Aff., March 1, 2006; 25(2): 405 - 412. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Kaushal, D. W. Bates, and D. Blumenthal National Health Information Network Cost and Structure Ann Intern Med, January 17, 2006; 144(2): 147 - 147. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Walker Electronic Medical Records And Health Care Transformation Health Aff., September 1, 2005; 24(5): 1118 - 1120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. U. Himmelstein and S. Woolhandler Hope And Hype: Predicting The Impact Of Electronic Medical Records Health Aff., September 1, 2005; 24(5): 1121 - 1123. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Goodman Savings In Electronic Medical Record Systems? Do It For The Quality Health Aff., September 1, 2005; 24(5): 1124 - 1126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Taylor, A. Bower, F. Girosi, J. Bigelow, K. Fonkych, and R. Hillestad Promoting Health Information Technology: Is There A Case For More-Aggressive Government Action? Health Aff., September 1, 2005; 24(5): 1234 - 1245. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. G. Bower Federal Investment In Health Information Technology: How To Motivate It? Health Aff., September 1, 2005; 24(5): 1263 - 1265. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters: