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The researchers did not include federal hospitals in their analysis, since the Veterans Affairs hospitals have already implemented comprehensive electronic health record systems.

Jha noted that the recently passed stimulus bill includes $19 billion for promoting electronic medical records. "I think that's a great start, but given how low adoption rates are, it's just a start. It will help some hospitals get over the hump, but for many institutions, if the government really wants to help create incentives it's going to have to put a lot more resources into this area," he said.

The federal government can also base payments on improved quality of care rather than quantity of care, Jha said. Contrary to common belief, electronic health care record systems may not save money. "The jury is still out on that -- it might. There is very convincing evidence that this technology is going to make care safer, it's going to make care better," he said.

Money is only one issue slowing down the adoption of these electronic systems. Physician resistance and the lack of universal standards are also reasons cited by hospitals for not instituting these systems, Jha said.

Getting all hospitals to adopt electronic medical record systems will not happen overnight, Jha reasoned. "Even in the best-case scenario, it's going to take five to 10 years," he said.

Dr. David Blumenthal, director of the Institute for Health Policy and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital/Partners HealthCare System, Boston, said during an afternoon teleconference Tuesday that the government is trying to soften the financial blow of adopting systems.

"The Congress and the administration showed enormou
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