Study indicates use of EHRs may reduce paid malpractice settlements for physicians

3 December 2008

Healthcare IT News reported Nov. 26 that, according to a study published in the Nov. 24 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, "the use of electronic health records (EHRs) may reduce paid malpractice settlements for physicians." For the study, researchers from Harvard University "examined survey responses from 1,140 practicing physicians in Massachusetts during 2005, focusing on demographic characteristics and the length and extent of EHR use." Next, the "investigators compared the presence or absence of malpractice claims among physicians with and without EHRs, including only claims that had been settled and paid." The data revealed that "6.1 percent of physicians with EHRs and 10.8 percent of physicians without them had paid malpractice settlements in the preceding 10 years." The authors theorize that "EHRs may decrease paid malpractice claims" because they "offer easy access to patients' history, which may result in fewer diagnostic errors, improved follow-up of abnormal test results, and better adherence to clinical guidelines."