A new report shows that, when it comes to adopting electronic health records, nursing homes around the country are leading the charge in healthcare.

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging on Friday released the results of an analysis of data from a 2004 National Nursing Home Survey. Nearly all nursing homes at the time had electronic information systems for MDS data collection and billing, and 43% maintained electronic health record systems, according to AAHSA. By comparison, 25% of physician offices and 59% of hospitals were set up only for EHRs. The survey results run counter to the widely held belief that nursing homes lag behind other sectors in the use of technology.  

Nursing homes are also on the leading edge of other electronic information systems. A total of 48% had computerized physicians orders, 51% used electronic systems for medication orders, and 41% used electronic systems for managing laboratory information, according to AAHSA. The full report was published online in the Journal of The American Medical Informatics Association.