How U.S. hospitals receive outside records

Five channels hospitals reported using often to receive summaries of care in 2025.

35%

Often received by mail or fax

ChartData

How U.S. hospitals receive outside records. Source: ASTP / AHA.
Method	Hospitals reporting frequent use
EHR vendor-based network	59%
National cross-vendor network	54%
State, regional or local health information exchange	53%
Direct messaging via a health information service provider	38%
Mail or fax	35%

Key findings

EHR vendor networks led these five methods at 59%. Mail or fax was reported by 35% for frequent receipt.
The survey also recorded 46% as sometimes using mail or fax to receive outside records.
Networks and mail or fax can coexist within the same hospital.

Methodology

Each bar is the reported share answering “often” for one receiving method. Responses can overlap, and the chart covers the five methods listed in the source table. The combined mail-or-fax item does not separate the two channels.

Coverage

2025 survey. U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals. The 2025 survey had 2,351 responding hospitals.

Data source

ASTP / AHA

Health IT Quick Stat #70 · Receive table · Often column for 2025

Chart by Fax · Reviewed Nov 7, 2026

All charts

How often U.S. hospitals send records by mail or fax

Reported frequent use of mail or fax to send summaries of care outside the hospital system.

U.S. hospital eFax use through electronic health records

Sending and receiving summaries of care by eFax through an EHR in the 2021 survey.

How U.S. office-based physicians shared outside records

A 2019 baseline for electronic exchange and exclusive use of fax, mail or eFax.