CHICAGO – Results of a nationwide survey of healthcare providers released Monday by Allscripts shows that physician groups support measures in the economic stimulus package that provide federal loans, grants and incentives to promote broader adoption of health information technology.

The survey of 1,888 physicians, medical group executives and staff reveals a consensus among medical groups that funding is critical, with 82 percent of respondents strongly agreeing that the government should provide funding for electronic health records in the economic stimulus package.

The survey also confirms that existing incentive programs managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that are designed to encourage hospitals to donate EHRs to physicians and to spur adoption of electronic prescribing have been effective.

Though respondents agreed that federal funding is needed for healthcare IT adoption, they were split on how funding could best be used, with some supporting grants toward the purchase of EHRs and others in favor of incentives to encourage EHR adoption.

The House passed an $819 billion economic stimulus bill Jan. 28 that includes $20 billion for healthcare IT and policy changes that are expected to result in $30 billion in net incentives for providers who adopt and use certified healthcare IT products over the next 10 years, according to a Congressional Budget Office scoring of the bill.