The Electronic Health Record and Health IT to Decrease Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Care

The Electronic Health Record (EHR) now has high penetration in both ambulatory and hospital care. How can this technology be utilized to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care quality? We suggest a three-step process. First, routinely obtain accurate, detailed, and complete race and ethnicity data. Second, use these data to identify and monitor inequities in care, and explore the contributing factors. The third and most important step, is to employ the power of the EHR and its associated digital tools for interventions to actively reduce the extent of these disparities.