EHR software market to exceed $6 billion by 2015

The electronic health record (EHR) software market is poised to exceed $6 billion by 2015, according to the research firm Markets and Markets. This will represent tremendous growth, the firm noted, as the EHR software market was a $2 billion industry as recently as 2009.

Markets and Markets found that meaningful use and improved care quality are driving this investment, which should surprise no one. The firm did discover some interesting things about EHR vendors, though. By its estimation, there are more than 1,000 of them. In addition, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. is the leading EHR vendor for small physicians’ offices, while Meditech, or Medical Information Technology Inc., leads the hospital EHR software market.

All in all, the research shows that there are a lot of health care organizations looking to invest in new (or additional) EHR software and a tremendous number of companies willing to sell to them. The process of finding the right EHR vendor is going to get harder before it gets easier, and it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.