Health care management review
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Health Care Manage Rev · Jul 2016
Does electronic health record use improve hospital financial performance? Evidence from panel data.
The aim of this study was to examine the impact of electronic health record (EHR) adoption on hospital financial performance. ⋯ The improvements in total margin, as opposed to operating margin, are likely due to hospital incentive payments under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act that are reflected in nonpatient revenues and therefore show up in total margin calculations. Thus, after 2 years of EHR adoption, hospital financial performance is observed to improve based only on meaningful use incentive payments. More research will be needed to determine whether EHR adoption impacts financial performance on a longer time horizon.
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Physician financial conflict of interest is a concern in the delivery of medicine because of its possible influence on the cost and the quality of patient care. There has been an extensive discussion of the ethical, economic, and legal aspects of this issue but little direct empirical evidence of its magnitude or effects. ⋯ Physicians need to be aware of the widespread receipt of industry gifts in medical practice and the potential adverse impact of such receipts on the delivery of care.