Physicians 84% Less Likely To Face Malpractice Claims With An EHR

Physicians using an electronic health records (EHRs) are 84% less likely to face malpractice claims than those who do not use an EHR. Among all types of physicians, general surgeons experienced the highest number of malpractice claims, while gastroenterologists, pediatricians, pulmonary disease specialists, and urologists experienced the least number of malpractice claims prior to EHR adoption. After EHR adoption, malpractice claims dropped to zero for all specialties except internal medicine and orthopedic surgeons. These are the finding s of a study, “The Relationship Between Electronic Health Records and Malpractice Claims,” by Mariah A. Quinn, M.D., MPH; Allyson M. Kats . . .