Why EHRs don't lower total healthcare costs

The use of electronic health records (EHRs) by ambulatory care practices in three Massachusetts communities resulted in a significant reduction in costs compared to control practices, says a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine. However, the study also found that the total cost of care continued to rise in both groups of practices. In 2006, the practices in the three communities received EHRs and training funded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Of 167 eligible practices, 86% participated in the pilot program, which was conducted by the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MaeHC).