The government's meaningful use incentive program helped to jumpstart physician adoption of EHRs, but experts say this initiative will have little long-term relevance. What really matters will be patients' preferences, which are increasingly tipping in favor of EHRs.

Some practices may not be interested in participating in the government's meaningful use program, but TEDMED Conference curator Jay Walker said at a recent ONC stakeholders meeting that these physicians will face bigger problems than Medicare payment reductions if they do not implement EHRs, according to Healthcare IT News.

"Suddenly the patients are in charge of the future, instead of the healthcare system," Walker said, according to the news source. "You are at the front line when you walk into a doctor's office and say, 'it's time for electronic health records.' Your doctor thinks he can avoid this? It would be like avoiding electricity in 1900."

A recent survey of patients conducted by GfK Roper indicated that 39 percent of individuals now view EHRs as being safer than paper records, indicating a sharp spike in the number of patients preferring electronic options.