This research project included the design, implementation, and analysis of a survey of California Nurse Practitioners' and Nurse Midwives' use of electronic health records for DHCS.

Principal Investigator: Joanne Spetz, PhD
Funding: California Department of Health Care Services, California HealthCare Foundation
Report: Use of Electronic Health Records by Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), working with CAMRI, collaborated with DHCS staff and other key stakeholders to develop a survey regarding California nurse practitioners' and nurse midwives' use of electronic health records (EHRs). The final survey was mailed to a random sample of 5,000 nurse practitioners and nurse midwives. The research team used the survey data to study California nurse practitioners and nurse midwives use of electronic health records, and focus on those whose patient panels contain a sufficient percentage of Medi-Cal beneficiaries for them to be potentially eligible for Medi-Cal incentive payments. The study also explored differences in the characteristics of nurse practitioners and nurse midwives who do and do not use EHRs, and focused on practitioners whose EHRs have specific functionalities that meet CMS' criteria for meaningful use of EHRs. The final report assisted OHIT in developing its State Medicaid HIT Plan required by CMS.