Electronic record-keeping remains too expensive for some for now

NEW YORK Electronic medical records may be the way of the future and commonplace in other industrialized countries, but the future is a little pricey for some doctors and hospitals.

According to a study by researchers at Harvard University published in July in The New England Journal of Medicine, 4 percent of doctors used electronic records, despite Pres. George Bush’s stated goal of nationwide adoption by 2014. A survey by the American Hospital Association found that 68 percent of hospitals used electronic medical records, but most were confined to areas such as pharmacies and laboratories rather than being used throughout the hospitals.

The cost, which can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, hinders implementation, as can the cost in time and money for training people to use it. The total cost for the entire country could be hundreds of billions of dollars.