More Physicians' Offices Are Going Electronic; Veteran Homelessness Shows "Robust Decline"; Disabled Adults Use More Emergency Care; Streamlining Appointment-Making in the VA

The number of physicians using electronic health records (EHRs) has skyrocketed since 2009, according to a study reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. In 2012, 72% of office-based physicians were using an electronic record system, compared with 18% in 2001. And the percentage of physicians who can e-prescribe has more than doubled (from 33% to 73%). The number who are communicating with patients and their families via computer has also increased by 46%.