Many smaller practices may not have the IT staff to single-handedly deal with the transition to electronic health records. While it may initially seem like a burden to the physicians to take on this responsibility, it can actually lead to better results.

Dr. James Parker, an internist at Texas Health Care, told Fierce Health IT that physicians may be more resistant to EHRs if the tools are simply brought to them by IT staff. However, if doctors are more involved in the process of EHR implementation from the beginning, they may be more likely to embrace the technology.

"We decided that if we did Meaningful Use that this was not going to be something that the IT department would be able to take to the doctors," he told the news source. "The simple reality is doctors are too busy. They're always going to tell the IT guy, 'You do this; I don't have time for it.' We needed a physician to go in and shepherd this process."

Studies have suggested that involving a physician champion in the EHR implementation process increases the odds of a technology initiative being successful, according to Family Practice Management.