Physician Information Technology Office

In the same way that the Internet has become ubiquitous, an integral part of our daily lives about which we rarely stop to think, EMRs are also coming closer to that state. Today, in large full-service family practice clinics across the province we see an adoption rate of over 90%, but the rate remains much lower among solo or small practices. 

Physicians in more than 14 BC communities have developed EMR communities of practice (CoPs). CoPs bring together GPs and specialists in a geographical community via a common electronic medical record (EMR) system. The goal of this collaboration is to improve services to a shared patient population using a common EMR and ease the transition to EMR through peer support and collaboration. 

Approximately half of the 5500 eligible BC physicians in community-based practice have now adopted an EMR through the support of PITO or their health authority, or on their own. Notably, the adoption rate among large full-service family practice clinics (six or more physicians in group practice) has reached 90%, and almost 75% among all clinics in the smaller non-urban communities—particularly in the communities that have formed active divisions of family practice. 

Recent PITO articles[1,2] have focused on PITO’s emerging program to ex­pand support for specialist physician electronic medical record (EMR) and technology requirements. This month’s article focuses on adoption and trends among general practitioners.

Consistently cited as one of the greatest benefits of EMR adoption, electronically receiving lab results, imaging reports, and hospital reports directly into the EMR enhances care and increases office efficiency.