Adoption of electronic health records in UK hospitals: Lessons from the USA

摘要

The UK-US Government Memorandum of Understanding on health information technology signed earlier this year could be the first sign that the UK will finally develop a sustainable strategy to promote the adoption of hospital electronic health records (EHRs). This digital infrastructure is important to help hospitals deliver safer, more patient-centred, and efficient care, and also to support audit, quality improvement initiatives, public health, health-service planning, and research. Although the UK and USA have different health systems, the success of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in making information technology an integral part of US health care offers the UK important, transferable lessons.