Doctors' use of electronic records expanding quickly; Decline in malpractice claims also noted

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported that the number of physicans and other providers using electronic health records doubled in three months. Meanwhile, a small study finds that the number of malpractice claims is lower among doctors using those electronic records.

Medscape:  Bonus Payments For EHR Use Reach Record Level
The number of physicians and other healthcare providers receiving Medicare and Medicaid bonus payments for adopting electronic health records (EHRs) nearly doubled in the last 3 months to more than 110,000, officials at the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said this week.

Modern Healthcare: Fewer Malpractice Claims When Docs Use EHRs: Study
A group of Massachusetts physicians saw a dramatic drop in malpractice claims after implementing electronic health-record systems, according to a research letter published by the Archives of Internal Medicine. … The study found 51 unique malpractice claims, with 49 reported before EHR implementation and only two after (Robeznieks, 6/25).

Kaiser Health News: Electronic Health Records Could Help Lower Malpractice Claims
A research letter published Monday by Harvard scientists in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that doctors who adopt the use of electronic health records have a lower rate of malpractice claims (Fleming, 6/25). 

Medpage Today: Liability Claims Drop With EHRs
Switching over to electronic health records (EHRs) appears to dramatically cut malpractice suits, according to a small study of insurance claims. The adjusted rate of malpractice claims fell six-fold among physicians in practices that adopted computerized records, Steven R. Simon, MD, MPH, of the VA Boston Healthcare System and Brigham and Women's Hospital, and colleagues found. The shift reflected a reduction in the number of all closed claims, rather than just in payouts, the group reported in a research letter published online in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Phend, 6/25).