About GotEHR? Despite many studies over the past fifteen years that have brought to light the many benefits of using health information technology to improve the delivery of care, several studies of EHR adoption in the inpatient setting describe rates less than 10%. * In January, 2004, the American Medical Informatics Association through its College met to investigate ways to better promote the use of EHR systems across the nation. A series of papers from this meeting were published in the Jan/Feb 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA). Later in 2004, two workshops were held at the Institute of Medicine, with support from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and participation from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT), where AMIA and its College worked with some stakeholders to identify a strategy to expand knowledge and acceptance for increasing the use of EHRs. Participants, including invited experts from the AMIA membership, represented Academy for Education Development; AHRQ; AARP; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); Foundation for Accountability; ONCHIT; and the Ad Council. A number of dimensions were discussed including: The manner in which EHRs can improve the current health care system in the US; A review of recent trends and usage of EHRs including the development of personal health records; An address of the concerns with privacy, cost, and implementation; A list of areas where more research is needed; and The possible practice locations or settings to examine regional variation. Outcomes from the workshops established three target audiences for action: patients, policy makers, and clinicians. PATIENTS Show how patients become better engaged with their care and relate to key issues such as ownership and security Support stronger partnerships of patients and physicians Promote personal health records Support integrated provisions and evidence-based educational materials POLICY MAKERS Seek to inform government so that the private reimbursement structure: Creates a friendly commercial environment so that providers will buy EHRs and Assures safer care with a lower rate of increase of health care costs Pursue partners to support a formal "gotEHR?" program Foundations Public sector entities such as AHRQ and others at the federal and state level Organizations Related business groups Gather reports that have analyzed reimbursement schemes to determine a recommended reimbursement structure Work on areas where current government priorities regarding patient information can be formatted for insertion into EHRs CLINICIANS Focus on community-based, non-hospital practices Better understand the reasons these settings are not implementing EHRs No reimbursements Implementing affords major change in how medicine is practiced Share data on how personal health records can improve patient-doctor relationships Conduct market research Survey across subspecialty societies for specific issues of importance Provide appropriate informational materials Conduct research into the benefits of a possible "Tool-kit" In 2005, AMIA is embarking on a multidimensional personal health record (PHR) initiative to intertwine with the work already achieved. In January, the College is hosting a meeting in Key West, FL where they will be addressing how the PHR will relate to EHRs. A set of publications will be developed from the work at this meeting and more information will be posted to the AMIA Web site as it is available. For questions about this initiative, please contact the AMIA offices at 301-657-1291 or gotEHR@amia.org.

GotEHR? Initiative
American Medical Informatics Association
4915 St. Elmo Avenue, Suite 401
Bethesda, MD 20814
phone: 301-657-1291 I fax: 301-657-1296
E-mail: gotEHR@amia.org

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