ONC Data Brief ■ No. 47 ■ May 2019
ONC Data Brief No. 47 | Interoperability among Office-Based Physicians in 2015 and 2017 8
Summary
Interoperability among office-based physicians was relatively constant between 2015 and 2017. Physicians’ rates of
querying or finding patient health information from outside sources increased by 50 percent. However, despite this
growth, physicians’ rates of engaging in the other interoperability domains (send, receive, and integrate) remained the
same between 2015 and 2017. Only about 1 in 10 physicians engaged in all 4 interoperability domains during these
years. The proportion of physicians (32%) reporting that they have patient health information electronically available
from outside sources also did not change during this period. However, similar to hospital settings, physicians who
engaged in all 4 domains were more likely to have patient health information electronically available from outside
sources at the point of care (3
).
A majority of physicians did not electronically receive clinical data during patients’ transitions of care. More physicians
electronically received summary of care records in 2017 compared to 2015. However, in 2017, only about 3 in 10
physicians electronically received summary of care records. One in 5 primary care physicians electronically received ED
notifications, and one-quarter of primary care physicians electronically received hospital discharge summaries. Both of
these types of information could be used by physicians to follow-up with their patients. These rates may increase if
CMS’ proposed rule on interoperability—which would require Medicare-participating hospitals to send electronic
notifications when a patient is admitted, discharged or transferred— is finalized (4
).
Overall, among the 38% of physicians who electronically received patient health information in 2017, three-quarters
used that information sometimes or often to inform clinical decisions. Physicians who rarely or never used information
they electronically received, reported a number of barriers to using this information. The key barriers cited include: lack
of integration of data into their EHRs; limited information available when needed; poor clinical workflow and difficulty
finding the information. Hospitals identified a similar set of barriers to usage (3
).
Moreover, similar to hospitals, the limited capabilities of exchange partners are barriers to exchange for physicians (3).
Physicians had lower rates of exchange (e.g., send/receive) with providers not eligible for the CMS EHR Incentive
Program; such as long-term care and behavioral health providers compared to ambulatory care providers. In contrast,
physician’s rates of exchange did not differ by hospital affiliation or between ambulatory care providers and hospitals.
Interoperability also varied by a number of practice characteristics. Compared to their counterparts, physicians who had
a certified EHR or participated in some type of value-based payment models (e.g., accountable care organization,
Patient-Centered Medical Home or P4P program) had higher rates of engaging in all 4 interoperability domains.
Physicians who worked in smaller practices or were not owned or part of a larger organization, had lower rates of
electronically sending and receiving patient health information compared to those who worked in settings with access to
greater resources.
Progress is needed to ensure that all physicians are able to use interoperable health IT systems. However, these data
indicate the expanded use of advanced certified EHR technology should improve physicians’ ability to engage in
interoperability and access information they need at the point of care (5
). Greater participation in initiatives such as the
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or alternative payment
models (APMs) should improve interoperability. These programs incentivize the electronic sharing of health information
across providers and promote the use of the 2015 Edition certified EHR technology. (
1,6,7). Furthermore, the 21
st
Century Cures Act calls for enabling interoperable exchange through health information networks and by making patient
health information more accessible through application programming interfaces (APIs) (8). As currently drafted, the
Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) should expand the availability of qualified health