(Editor’s note: The Broadband Report is a regular feature in WRAL TechWire.)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Significant increases in the use of electronic health records (EHRs) among the nation’s physicians and hospitals are detailed in two new studies published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

The studies found that in 2013, almost eight in ten (78 percent) office-based physicians reported they adopted some type of EHR system. About half of all physicians (48 percent) had an EHR system with advanced functionalities in 2013, a doubling of the adoption rate in 2009.

About 6 in 10 (59 percent) hospitals had adopted an EHR system with certain advanced functionalities in 2013, quadruple the percentage for 2010.

“Patients are seeing the benefits of health IT as a result of the significant strides that have been made in the adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records,” said Karen DeSalvo, national coordinator for health information technology. “We look forward to working with our partners to ensure that people’s digital health information follows them across the care continuum so it will be there when it matters most.”

The information in the studies was collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics and the American Hospital Association in 2013.

The studies also show that more work is needed to support widespread health information exchange and providers’ ability to achieve new requirements under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.

Those details note that only 14 percent electronically share data with ambulatory care providers or hospitals outside their organization. Furthermore, the vast majority of hospitals had capabilities that could be used to support new requirements but were not being used and only 10 percent of hospitals were providing patients with online access to view, download, and transmit information about their hospital admission.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services this year continues to support efforts towards an interoperable health system that enables nationwide health information exchange with on-ground support, tools, resources and how-to-guides.