More than eight in 10 doctors across the country, or 83 percent, have adopted electronic healthcare record systems, according to a new report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.

Counting only certified EHR adoption, however, that rate goes down to 74 percent. Also, 51 percent of doctors are using only basic EHR functionalities, according to ONC.

ONC also reported on how physicians use their EHRs:

The function used by most physicians – 86 percent – is recording patient demographic information. Moreover:

• Six in 10 physicians reported having the capability to view imaging results. ONC did not report on how many doctors use the function.
• More than 8 in 10 physicians reported their EHRs allowed them to use computerized prescription order entry, record clinical notes, patient's medications, allergies, and problem lists, and view laboratory results.

[Related: How does your EHR stack up? See our 2015 satisfaction survey results.]

Primary care physicians are the most likely to employ EHRs.

• Primary care physicians had the highest rate of adoption of certified EHRs at 79 percent.
• More than half – 56 percent – of primary care physicians were using all basic EHR functionalities.Fewer than half of medical and surgical specialists reported using all basic EHR functionalities.

[See also: Ready for the next generation of EHRs?]

Solo practitioners have the lowest rate of adoption, according to ONC – 64 percent reported using any EHR; 55 percent reported using a certified EHR; and less than a third reported using all basic EHR functionalities. Fewer than half of physicians in practices with 2-5 physicians were using all basic EHR functionalities.

Physicians in community centers had the highest rate of EHR adoption at 98 percent, with three-quarters of them using a certified EHR.

Read the ONC brief here.