Data Briefs Provides health IT adoption and use statistics derived from surveys and administrative data and in-depth analysis of health IT policies and programs.

Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, adoption of telemedicine was slow and its usage was rare [1]. However, during the pandemic, usage of telemedicine increased dramatically with physicians using a number of telemedicine tools…

Interoperable exchange of health information or “interoperability” is critical for delivering appropriate care, reducing health care costs, and making health care more efficient (1-3). ONC is executing on a number of health IT provisions from the…

Electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) enables clinicians to securely transmit prescriptions for controlled substances to a pharmacy (1). Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are electronic databases that contain patient-…

Hospitals play an important role in support of public health functions by contributing timely and accurate data to state and local public health agencies (PHAs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed substantive gaps in our public health…

Over the past several years, federal policy levers have been enacted to increase patient’s access to their health information. In 2014, hospitals were incentivized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Record (…

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed gaps in the nation’s public health infrastructure, including a need for increased electronic exchange of patient health information between health care providers and public health agencies (PHAs) (1). Physicians play a…

Increasing interoperable exchange using certified health electronic health records (EHRs), and other information technology (IT) has the potential to improve health outcomes (1), enhance effiency (2) and reduce costs (3). Towards that end, public…

Electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) technology enables clinicians to securely transmit prescriptions for controlled substances to a pharmacy (1). In 2018, the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and…

In May 2020, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) finalized federal rulemaking that aimed to increase the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information by patients and their caregivers (1). This rule implements key…

Amidst a global pandemic, the need for efficient exchange of electronic health information between hospitals and public health agencies has never been more critical. To ensure public health agencies have timely and complete data…

A patient’s access to their health information is required and reinforced through multiple federal policy levers. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Health IT Certification Program certifies health…

Over the past decade, a number of federal health IT policies (1) have sought to advance the interoperable exchange of electronic health information (EHI) between health care providers. In response to these federal initiatives, health care…

Approximately 80 percent of the U.S. population and more than 90 percent of the nation’s physicians reside in urban areas (1, 2). While cities are central to many cultural, economic, and transportation activities, these densely populated and…

More than 20 million Americans suffer from a substance use disorder (SUD) each year. For these individuals, treatment is designed to help stop or reduce harmful substance misuse, improve health and social function, and manage risk for relapse.…

Achieving nationwide interoperability is a stated objective of the federal government. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) ( 1) and the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 (2) call for specific actions to improve the…

Nearly 40 percent of individuals will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. For these individuals, access, exchange, and use of electronic health information is critical to managing their complex health needs. Patient access to…

EPCS is beneficial because it can help providers integrate prescription drug information into electronic health records (EHRs) more directly, which can improve patient safety and reduce diversion and fraud. This brief uses data from the 2017…

The access, exchange, and use of electronic health information is essential for individuals to better manage their health care needs and share information with their providers and caregivers. Many hospitals and physicians possess capabilities that…