Some commentators have expressed concern that doctors who have been practicing for a number of years may be resistant to adopting new EHR technology. However, experts say the key to getting all of a practice's physicians on board with the transition is to make sure they understand the benefits of the technology.

Computerized physician order entry and other aspects of EHRs have been shown to reduce errors and improve patient outcomes. Edward Babakanian, the CIO of the University of California San Diego Health System, told Fierce Health IT that these are ideas physicians can get behind, as was the case with the doctors he works with.

"That whole process created a perception of value among care providers," he told the news source. "Because they said, 'I can put an order in, and I can be sure that no one will make a mistake. And I know it's exactly what I ordered.' So we improved quality and efficiency."

A recent study published in the journal Studies in Health Technology and Informatics showed that EHR systems that support computerized physician order entry may be able to improve clinical decisions while reducing errors. This can have the effect of creating much better treatment outcomes.