ATLANTA -- Results of a national research study conducted by Harris Interactive(R) and commissioned by McKesson reveal that hospitals are likely to play a key role in the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by physicians. In a survey of primary care physicians and specialists, more than seven in 10 respondents who plan to implement EHRs said they would be receptive to working with a local hospital to leverage its IT infrastructure and buying power. The same survey showed that three-quarters of the nation's physicians plan to adopt EHRs for their practices, with 91% planning to do so within three years.

The McKesson EHR survey was conducted in June 2006. The goal was to explore physician attitudes toward working with local hospitals to deploy EHRs in support of a goal set by President Bush for the majority of Americans to have EHRs by 2014.

"There is a tremendous opportunity for physicians and hospitals to collaborate in the interest of higher-quality, safer healthcare," said Tom Leonard, McKesson's vice president and general manager of Ambulatory Solutions. "Physicians want to focus on practicing medicine, not on maintaining complex healthcare IT systems. Meanwhile, hospitals in their communities have been investing in systems for years. Many already have the systems and technology expertise to connect local physicians with one another, payors, patients and other providers for better continuity of care - and ultimately, greater safety."

Leonard noted that physicians ranked clinical benefits of EHRs higher than financial factors. Eighty percent of respondents ranked "coordination of care across care settings" as the No. 1 benefit of an EHR, while 52% indicated that the system will save their practice money in the long run.

The findings in the McKesson survey coincide with ongoing efforts to convert the nation's paper health records into digital format as a way to improve patient safety and curb skyrocketing healthcare costs. The government recently took two major steps to accelerate EHR adoption. First, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) established an industry-wide benchmark for EHR-certified products. Second, final regulations issued last month by the Department of Health and Human Services for e-prescribing and EHRs set the stage for greater collaboration between hospitals and physicians by allowing for the donation of e-prescribing and EHR technology.

Among the survey's other notable findings was the validation by physicians that hospitals already provide a number of valued electronic services including the ability to view discharge summaries, hospital charts, laboratory results and medical images in a seamless manner. As a result, physicians indicated that they prefer to partner with a local hospital for EHR technology and that they are willing to pay a fee in return for access to technology systems.

Akron General Health System in Akron, Ohio recognized the importance of connectivity between all healthcare providers across care settings through an integrated hospital-sponsored EHR. Akron is targeting 250 employed and affiliated physicians for implementation of McKesson's ambulatory EHR in its community.

"Our goal is to offer extremely safe, well-coordinated and efficient care to our patients, no matter where they seek care in our community," said Richard Streck, M.D., senior vice president, Medical Staff Affairs. "The connectivity offered through an integrated EHR means true, coordinated patient-centered care. Physicians should have ready access to patient allergies and medical histories, enabling more informed treatment decisions, a better patient experience, and ultimately improved treatment outcomes."

Methodology

The survey was commissioned by McKesson Corp. and conducted online by Harris Interactive within the United States between June 13 and 28, 2006 among 428 physicians. There were 249 primary care physicians including general practitioners/internal medicine, obstetricians and pediatricians, and 179 specialists including cardiologists, orthopedists and general surgeons. Quota groups were stratified to reflect the U.S. physician universe by practice size. To qualify for the survey, physicians were asked whether they had already implemented an EHR system within their practice. Physicians who had implemented a system were disqualified from participating in the survey.

On average, physician respondents:

Admit to 2.5 hospitals

Age 45.7

14.8 years in practice

See 129 patients per week

84% male, 16% female

With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 428, one could say with a 95% probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 5 percentage points. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. Sampling error for sub samples is higher and varies. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 16th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 173-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare, and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information: http://mpt.mckesson.com.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides research-driven insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what could conceivably be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online, visit http://go.hpolsurveys.com/PR.