Kai Zheng|Rema Padman|David Krackhardt|Michael P. Johnson|Herbert S. Diamond
Social networks and physician adoption of electronic health records: insights from an empirical study
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor|Faculty of Public Health|Carnegie Mellon University|Carnegie Mellon University|University of Massachusetts Boston|Western Pennsylvania Hospital
objective study social interactions influence physician adoption electronic health records ehr systemdesign social network survey used delineate structure social interactions among 40 residents 15 attending physicians ambulatory primary care practicesocial network analysis applied relate interaction structures individual physicians utilization rates ehr systemmeasurements social network survey assessed three distinct types interaction structures professional network based consultation patient carerelated matters friendship network based personal intimacy perceived influence network based persons perception people affected intention adopt ehr systemehr utilization rates measured proportion patient visits sentinel use events consisting patient data documentation retrieval activities recordedthe usage data collected time period 14 months computerrecorded audit trail logsresults neither professional perceived influence network correlated ehr usagethe structure friendship network significantly influenced individual physicians adoption ehr systemresidents occupied similar social positions friendship network shared similar ehr utilization rates p005in words residents personal friends common tended develop comparable levels ehr adoptionthis effect particularly prominent mutual personal friends socially similar residents attending physicians p0001conclusions social influence affecting physician adoption ehr seems predominantly conveyed interactions personal friends rather interactions professional settings