Increasing the use of electronic health records (EHRs) is a major policy priority, as implementation has been slow both in the United States and in other countries. This survey of nearly 3000 US hospitals found that less than 2% had a fully functional EHR (defined as incorporating clinical documentation, laboratory and imaging results, computerized provider order entry, and clinician decision support). Survey respondents cited cost and maintenance considerations as major barriers to adopting EHRs, concerns that have been cited in prior research. Given that most outpatient practices also do not use electronic records, the authors recommend several policy initiatives to spur EHR implementation.