Overcoming Barriers to Implementing Electronic Health Records in Rural Primary Care Clinics

Authors

Patricia Mason, Walden UniversityFollow
Roger Mayer, SUNY College at Old WestburyFollow
Wen-Wen Chien, SUNY College at Old WestburyFollow
Judith P. Monestime, Florida Atlantic UniversityFollow

Abstract

Medicare-eligible physicians at primary care practices (PCP) that did not implement an electronic health record (EHR) system by the end of 2015 face stiff penalties. One year prior to the 2015 deadline, approximately half of all primary clinics have not implemented a basic EHR system. The purpose of this phenomenology study was to explore rural primary care physicians and physician assistants’ experiences regarding overcoming barriers to implementing EHRs. Complex adaptive systems formed the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a purposeful sample of 21 physicians and physician assistants across 2 rural PCPs in the southeastern region of Missouri. Participant perceptions were elicited regarding overcoming barriers to implementing EHRs systems as manadated by federal legislation. Interview questions were transcribed and processed through qualitative software to discern themes of how rural PCP physicians and physician assistants might overcome barriers to implementing electronic health records. Through the exploration of the narrative segments, 4 emergent themes were common among the participants including (a) limited finances to support EHRs, (b) health information exchange issues, (c) lack of business education, and (d) lack of change management at rural medical practices. This study may provide rural primary care physicians and administrators with strategies to promote the adoption of EHRs, provide cost efficient business services, and improve change management plans.

Keywords

Electronic Health Records, Primary Care Practices, Physician Group, Complex Adaptive Systems, Phenomenology

Author Bio(s)

Dr. Patricia Lynn Mason, DBA, MBA, BSBA, ASBA, NRCMA, CRMP is a Consultant. Dr. Mason has spent over 20 years as a certified medical assistant specializing in primary care. Her researches have included management, implementation, and diffusion of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in rural primary care clinics. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: drpmason50@gmail.com.

Dr. Roger Mayer, DBA, CPA, CIA, CRMA is an assistant professor at SUNY College at Old Westbury. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: mayerr@oldwestbury.edu.

Dr. Wen-Wen Chien, DBA, CPA is an assistant professor at SUNY College at Old Westbury. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: chienw@oldwestbury.edu.

Dr. Judith P. Monestime, DBA, RHIA, CDIP, CPHI, CPC, CPC-I is a visiting instructor in the Health Administration Program at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. Dr. Monestime is also is a revenue cycle consultant specializing in areas of coding and clinical documentation. Her researches include management and adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: jmonestime@fau.edu.

Publication Date

11-12-2017

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2515

Recommended APA Citation

Mason, P., Mayer, R., Chien, W., & Monestime, J. P. (2017). Overcoming Barriers to Implementing Electronic Health Records in Rural Primary Care Clinics. The Qualitative Report, 22(11), 2943-2955. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2017.2515