EHR Meaningful Use Dropout Rate Among Family Docs Hit 21% In 2012

As US physicians continue to embrace electronic health records (EHRs), data on CMS' EHR incentive program holds both positive and troubling news regarding family physicians' participation and success in achieving meaningful use of their EHRs. 

According to CMS' recently published EHR meaningful use attestation data(healthdata.gov), 23,636 family physicians became first-time meaningful users in 2012. The number represents a 180% increase compared to 2011 EHR statistics.

In an interview with AAFP News Now, Jason Mitchell, MD, director of the AAFP's Center for Health IT, said the latest report confirms family medicine "still has the greatest participation both by percentage and by the numbers."

However, the report also revealed a drop in the retention rate of attesting physicians. In fact, of the 11,578 family physicians who attested to meaningful use in 2011, only 9,188 did so in 2012, a 21% drop in participation.