Health IT use varies by specialty.

Adoption of health information technology varies significantly among physicians in different specialties, according to a new study from the Center for Studying Health System Change.

While only 12% of physicians overall have adopted comprehensive electronic medical records, physician uptake of specific health IT functions, such as obtaining guidelines or writing prescriptions, varies depending on specialty. For example, 74% of emergency physicians have health IT systems that can access patient notes, compared with just 36% of psychiatrists.

The findings are based on the Health System Change (HSC) 2004-2005 Community Tracking Study Physician Survey, a nationally representative telephone poll that included responses from 6,628 physicians.

Physicians were asked about practice-based availability of information technology across five clinical areas--obtaining information about treatment alternatives or recommended guidelines; retrieving patient notes or problem lists; writing prescriptions; exchanging clinical data and images with other physicians; and exchanging clinical data and images with hospitals.

Surgeons trailed medical specialists in obtaining guidelines, accessing patient notes, writing prescriptions, and exchanging information with other physicians. Primary care physicians were less likely than specialists to access patient notes and exchange data with other physicians.

There were also variations across specialties and subspecialties. Within primary care, internists were more likely than family physicians or pediatricians to have access to patient notes. Among subspecialists, oncologists were more likely than other specialists to obtain guidelines, exchange information with other physicians, and exchange information with hospitals.

The full report is available at www.hschange.com/CONTENT/945. Primary Care Physicians in Practices With Information Technology for Specific Clinical Activities Obtaining guidelines 66% Exchanging information with hospitals 66% Accessing patient notes 46% Exchanging information with physicians 43% Writing prescriptions 25% Note: Based on a 2004-2005 survey 0f 6,628 physicians. Source: Center for Studying Health System Change ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS Note: Table made from bar graph.