Hospital Characteristics Associated with Certified EHR Adoption among US Psychiatric Hospitals

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between hospital characteristics and certified electronic health record (EHR) adoption in psychiatric hospitals in the US.

Methods

Data were drawn from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare data sets in 2016. Binary logistic regression analysis and χ² tests were performed to examine the relationship between certified EHR adoption and hospital characteristics.

Results

Of 1,059 psychiatric hospitals in the US, 502 (47.4%) have adopted certified EHR technology. Large hospitals (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.52–3.44; p<0.001), not-for-profit hospitals (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.22–2.49; p=0.008), and hospitals participating in a network (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.34–2.37; p<0.001) were more likely to adopt certified EHRs. Hospitals in the northeast were less likely to implement certified EHRs compared to other regions. However, there was no significant association found between EHR utilization and system affiliation, urban location, teaching status, or participation of health-maintenance organizations and preferred provider organizations.

Conclusion

The study results suggested variations in EHR adoption according to hospital location, size, ownership, and network participation. This study fills a gap in previous work on certified EHR adoption that focused exclusively on general hospitals, but overlooked psychiatric hospitals. Future policies designed to influence the implementation of certified EHRs should take into consideration how hospital size, ownership, and network-affiliation status affect certified EHR adoption among psychiatric hospitals.

Keywords:

• hospital characteristics
• electronic health records
• health information technology
• psychiatric hospitals

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (201703170149). We are also grateful to Dr. Christy Harris Lemark (Department of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham), who offered a precious chance to the authors to conduct this research in the Department of Health Services Administration.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting and revising the article, gave final approval to the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Dr. H Qu is the co-first author.

Disclosure

The authors report no competing interests associated with this study.