New legislation has been introduced in the US to support nursing homes and home health providers adopt EHRs and modernise patient records, with ambitions of ensuring safer, more connected care for US seniors.
The Connecting Health and Records Technology for Seniors Act’s sets an ambition to help overcome some of the barriers to EHR adoption currently faced by long-term care providers such as nursing homes, rehabilitation centres, and home health agencies. It authorises up to $5 million annually in grants to eligible providers, and grants of up to $500,000 for the purchase and implementation of EHR systems.
“Too many seniors experience fragmented care simply because the providers caring for them don’t have the tools to communicate effectively with one another,” says Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. “Whether someone is transitioning from a hospital to a rehabilitation facility, a nursing home, or receiving care at home, their health information should move with them. The CHARTS Act is a commonsense investment that will improve care, reduce unnecessary costs, and give healthcare professionals more time to focus on what matters most: their patients.”
Priority will be given to long-term care and post-acute providers deemed “more likely to improve the health of individuals entitled to benefits or enrolled under the Medicare program”, with care to be taken to ensure that grant recipients constitute a diverse and nationally representative sample based on characteristics like geography, income, race, and ethnicity, the Act states.
The Department of Health and Human Services is tasked with reporting back to Congress on the impact and inform whether the initiative should be expanded. Evaluation will cover the tech adopted, benefits, and impact on areas such as falls reduction or increased electronic medication management, to be shared within six years.
Wider trend: EPR
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS FT has updated on EPR readiness ahead of a planned EPR go-live date of October 2027, highlighting that a “significant proportion of readiness activity remains either not started or at an early stage”, with key dependencies still unresolved. Progress has been observed around core governance structures, leadership frameworks, enabling infrastructure, training, device audits, and initial transformation arrangements, according to the board. Work is ongoing to develop role-based training, define system profiles, and establish cross-organisational groups to support policies, procedures, and super users.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust has delayed the planned June go-live 
of its eCare EPR, describing the decision as a “necessary and appropriate assurance action”. The decision was taken following a 60-day review of clinical, operational, and technical readiness, the board shares, highlighting that despite substantial progress, it had not been sufficiently assured that a June go-live would consistently support safe patient care and service continuity across all areas. Additional time will now be taken to complete further clinical and operational assurance, the trust states, as well as to strengthen end-to-end pathways, improve safety controls, increase staff readiness and confidence, and “reduce systemwide risk at go-live and during early stabilisation”.
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has shared the latest on its EPR progress following a launch event in June, covering recruitment, finances, and a roadmap to go-live. An initial tranche incorporating ED, inpatient, and order comms, is due to go live in July 2027. A second tranche including PAS and outpatients is then expected to follow later in the same year. The launch session was “well attended with good representation” from across the organisation, including nursing, AHPs, midwifery, medics, operational, and corporate, the trust highlights. Engagement was reportedly high, and focused module sessions took place throughout the day.
