The use of electronic health records and other health IT tools may play an important role in delivering high-quality care to patients with the most complex needs, according to a new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

The Mathematica Policy researchers defined complex patients as being frail senior citizens or adults with disabilities. These types of patients can consume a significant portion of medical costs. In fact, a recent report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicated that just 1 percent of patients with the most medical needs account for about 22 percent of the nation's healthcare spending.

In the present study, the researchers looked at some of the initiatives being undertaken at five healthcare providers to address the needs of these complex patients. The results showed that practices using health IT tools like EHRs delivered top-quality care. Furthermore, practices that delivered the best care took advantage of IT support to make sure the technology fit seamlessly into their practices.

Additionally, the offices that tended to deliver the best care to complex patients took a more coordinated approach, focused on quality improvement initiatives, took advantage of peer-to-peer learning opportunities and changed payment models to allow physicians to spend more time with patients.