Factors Explaining Physicians' Acceptance of Electronic Health Records

Abstract

Physicians' acceptance of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems is a critical factor for a successful implementation. In an attempt to understand the factors influencing physicians' acceptance of EHR systems, the presented research examines the effects of social influence, health IT (HIT) experience, and privacy concerns using a modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The empirical study presents results from a survey of Austrian physicians in private practices. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and mediation analyses were used to analyze the data. The results indicate that the presented model is suitable to explain physicians' intention to use EHR systems. In line with expectations, privacy concerns, social influence, and HIT experience had a significant impact on the perceived usefulness of HIT, which in turn was related to positive attitudes towards EHRs as well as the intention to use them.