Report: Market for electronic health records to reach $17 billion by 2017

LONDON — The market for electronic health and medical records is set to experience rapid growth over the coming years, with EMR peer group value estimated to climb from approximately $10.6 billion in 2012 to $17 billion by 2017, at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8%, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

The company’s new report estimates that McKesson had the largest Healthcare Information Technology Software and Services revenue in 2012, with $3.3 billion, placing it as the EMR market leader. McKesson is followed by Cerner and Allscripts, which achieved revenues of $2.7 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.

According to GlobalData, this rapid EMR market growth is due to incentives offered under the American Relief and Recovery Act of 2009, which delivers opportunities for providers to transform unstructured, paper-based data into electronic digitized information that can be shared across the entire care industry.

“Physicians are selecting and implementing EMRs that meet federal requirements for meaningful use, and which also fit their practices and provide opportunities to enhance productivity, capture profits and improve clinical outcomes," stated Adam Dion, GlobalData's analyst covering industry dynamics. “With the ever-changing world of healthcare regulations and reimbursement schedules, hospitals and health systems need solutions with the flexibility to handle diverse billing needs.”