The 7 Stage EHR Adoption Model from LeadingAge CAST goes beyond showing the rate of EHR adoption. Instead, it presents the level of sophistication with which EHRs are being used in LTPAC settings.

This year, vendors estimated that slightly more LTPAC providers are in the early stages of EHR adoption than in previous years—the percentage in Stages 1-4 rose slightly, by 4% over last year. At the same time, the percentage of LTPAC providers in the more-sophisticated stages dropped by 4%. In 2022, nearly 49% of LTPAC providers were in Stages 5-7; in 2021, that percentage was nearly 53%. This is most likely due to the fact that larger participating EHR vendors have acquired smaller EHR vendors with clients in lower stages, who have not participated in the CAST EHR Selection Tool in the past. 

Data for this model comes from LeadingAge CAST’s queries of EHR vendors. The vendors pinpoint their clients’ use of EHRs, as well as the percentage of clients along the scale of EHR adoption.

The 7-stage model is based on the types of functionalities, their sophistication, and their focus, as opposed to rigid specific functions. The stages are as follows:

• Stage 1 – Basic Information System – Without the clinical elements of an EHR.
• Stage 2 – Basic EHR.
• Stage 3 – Ancillary & Clinical Administration (Non-Integrated) – Extends the EHR beyond its basic setting-specific functionalities to other ancillary areas and adds efficiency capabilities.
• Stage 4 – Advanced EHR (Internal Quality-Focused) – Adds functionalities and capabilities that allow providers to use their EHR to improve care quality inside their organization.
• Stage 5 – External Ancillary Services Integration – Focuses on basic integration between the EHR and other external and ancillary systems.
• Stage 6 – Engagement & Basic Information Exchange – Focuses on tools and capabilities that aim to engage different members of the care team, including the physician and possibly the patient/resident/client, as well as basic information exchange capabilities.
• Stage 7 – Interoperability & Health Information Exchange – Represents the ideal full interoperability stage the sector strives for that allows the exchange of information in a standards-based data format that other EHRs can both understand and consume.

CAST EHR Selection Tool

The LeadingAge CAST EHR Selection Tool is designed to help aging-services providers learn about EHRs and narrow their choices, from the many available on the market, to products that are right for their organization. The tool includes a white paper with background on EHRs, an interactive guide, an online selection tool, a selection matrix, and provider case studies.

The tool now includes updated information in the product matrix and online selection tool for 20 products. One new product, PACECare (by RTZ Systems), has been added. PACECare is an ONC-ATBC certified EHR designed specifically for PACE by people who know PACE.