Electronic Health Record Usage in Residential Care Communities

A new report released by NCHS looks at how effective electronic health records are in residential care communities, such as assisted living facilities and similar residential care communities.  Although research has been done in other health care settings, little has been focused on residential care communities’ use of electronic health records and their support for electronic exchange of residential health information.  The report provides baseline findings using data from the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities.

Key Findings from the Report: 

• In 2010, only 17% of residential care communities in the United States used electronic health records.
• Residential care communities that used electronic health records were more likely to be larger, not-for-profit, chain-affiliated, colocated with another care setting, and in a nonmetropolitan statistical area.
• The types of information most commonly tracked electronically by residential care communities that used electronic health records were medical provider information, resident demographics, individual service plans, and lists of residents’ medications and active medication allergies.
• Four in 10 residential care communities that used electronic health records also had support for electronic exchange of health information with service providers; nearly 25% could exchange with pharmacies, and 17% could exchange with physicians.