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Modi S, Feldman SS, Berner ES, Schooley B, Johnston A. Value of Electronic Health Records Measured Using Financial and Clinical Outcomes: Quantitative Study. JMIR Med Inform 2024; 12:e52524. [PMID: 38265848 PMCID: PMC10851116 DOI: 10.2196/52524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 was legislated to reduce health care costs, improve quality, and increase patient safety. Providers and organizations were incentivized to exhibit meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) systems in order to achieve this objective. EHR adoption is an expensive investment, given the resources and capital that are invested. Due to the cost of the investment, a return on the EHR adoption investment is expected. OBJECTIVE This study performed a value analysis of EHRs. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between EHR adoption levels and financial and clinical outcomes by combining both financial and clinical outcomes into one conceptual model. METHODS We examined the multivariate relationships between different levels of EHR adoption and financial and clinical outcomes, along with the time variant control variables, using moderation analysis with a longitudinal fixed effects model. Since it is unknown as to when hospitals begin experiencing improvements in financial outcomes, additional analysis was conducted using a 1- or 2-year lag for profit margin ratios. RESULTS A total of 5768 hospital-year observations were analyzed over the course of 4 years. According to the results of the moderation analysis, as the readmission rate increases by 1 unit, the effect of a 1-unit increase in EHR adoption level on the operating margin decreases by 5.38%. Hospitals with higher readmission payment adjustment factors have lower penalties. CONCLUSIONS This study fills the gap in the literature by evaluating individual relationships between EHR adoption levels and financial and clinical outcomes, in addition to evaluating the relationship between EHR adoption level and financial outcomes, with clinical outcomes as moderators. This study provided statistically significant evidence (P<.05), indicating that there is a relationship between EHR adoption level and operating margins when this relationship is moderated by readmission rates, meaning hospitals that have adopted EHRs could see a reduction in their readmission rates and an increase in operating margins. This finding could further be supported by evaluating more recent data to analyze whether hospitals increasing their level of EHR adoption would decrease readmission rates, resulting in an increase in operating margins. Hospitals would incur lower penalties as a result of improved readmission rates, which would contribute toward improved operating margins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Modi
- The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, United States
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Sue S Feldman
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Eta S Berner
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | | | - Allen Johnston
- Department of Information Systems, Statistics, and Management Science, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
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Modi S, Feldman SS. The Value of Electronic Health Records Since the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act: Systematic Review. JMIR Med Inform 2022; 10:e37283. [PMID: 36166286 PMCID: PMC9555331 DOI: 10.2196/37283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Electronic health records (EHRs) are the electronic records of patient health information created during ≥1 encounter in any health care setting. The Health Information Technology Act of 2009 has been a major driver of the adoption and implementation of EHRs in the United States. Given that the adoption of EHRs is a complex and expensive investment, a return on this investment is expected. Objective This literature review aims to focus on how the value of EHRs as an intervention is defined in relation to the elaboration of value into 2 different value outcome categories, financial and clinical outcomes, and to understand how EHRs contribute to these 2 value outcome categories. Methods This literature review was conducted using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). The initial search of key terms, EHRs, values, financial outcomes, and clinical outcomes in 3 different databases yielded 971 articles, of which, after removing 410 (42.2%) duplicates, 561 (57.8%) were incorporated in the title and abstract screening. During the title and abstract screening phase, articles were excluded from further review phases if they met any of the following criteria: not relevant to the outcomes of interest, not relevant to EHRs, nonempirical, and non–peer reviewed. After the application of the exclusion criteria, 80 studies remained for a full-text review. After evaluating the full text of the residual 80 studies, 26 (33%) studies were excluded as they did not address the impact of EHR adoption on the outcomes of interest. Furthermore, 4 additional studies were discovered through manual reference searches and were added to the total, resulting in 58 studies for analysis. A qualitative analysis tool, ATLAS.ti. (version 8.2), was used to categorize and code the final 58 studies. Results The findings from the literature review indicated a combination of positive and negative impacts of EHRs on financial and clinical outcomes. Of the 58 studies surveyed for this review of the literature, 5 (9%) reported on the intersection of financial and clinical outcomes. To investigate this intersection further, the category “Value–Intersection of Financial and Clinical Outcomes” was generated. Approximately 80% (4/5) of these studies specified a positive association between EHR adoption and financial and clinical outcomes. Conclusions This review of the literature reports on the individual and collective value of EHRs from a financial and clinical outcomes perspective. The collective perspective examined the intersection of financial and clinical outcomes, suggesting a reversal of the current understanding of how IT investments could generate improvements in productivity, and prompted a new question to be asked about whether an increase in productivity could potentially lead to more IT investments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Modi
- Department of Political Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| | - Sue S Feldman
- Department of Health Services Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Nguyen Q, Wybrow M, Burstein F, Taylor D, Enticott J. Understanding the impacts of health information systems on patient flow management: A systematic review across several decades of research. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274493. [PMID: 36094946 PMCID: PMC9467348 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patient flow describes the progression of patients along a pathway of care such as the journey from hospital inpatient admission to discharge. Poor patient flow has detrimental effects on health outcomes, patient satisfaction and hospital revenue. There has been an increasing adoption of health information systems (HISs) in various healthcare settings to address patient flow issues, yet there remains limited evidence of their overall impacts. Objective To systematically review evidence on the impacts of HISs on patient flow management including what HISs have been used, their application scope, features, and what aspects of patient flow are affected by the HIS adoption. Methods A systematic search for English-language, peer-review literature indexed in MEDLINE and EMBASE, CINAHL, INSPEC, and ACM Digital Library from the earliest date available to February 2022 was conducted. Two authors independently scanned the search results for eligible publications, and reporting followed the PRISMA guidelines. Eligibility criteria included studies that reported impacts of HIS on patient flow outcomes. Information on the study design, type of HIS, key features and impacts was extracted and analysed using an analytical framework which was based on domain-expert opinions and literature review. Results Overall, 5996 titles were identified, with 44 eligible studies, across 17 types of HIS. 22 studies (50%) focused on patient flow in the department level such as emergency department while 18 studies (41%) focused on hospital-wide level and four studies (9%) investigated network-wide HIS. Process outcomes with time-related measures such as ‘length of stay’ and ‘waiting time’ were investigated in most of the studies. In addition, HISs were found to address flow problems by identifying blockages, streamlining care processes and improving care coordination. Conclusion HIS affected various aspects of patient flow at different levels of care; however, how and why they delivered the impacts require further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quy Nguyen
- Department of Human-Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael Wybrow
- Department of Human-Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Frada Burstein
- Department of Human-Centred Computing, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - David Taylor
- Office of Research and Ethics, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joanne Enticott
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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The effect of My Health Record use in the emergency department on clinician-assessed patient care: results from a survey. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2022; 22:178. [PMID: 35791028 PMCID: PMC9255536 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-022-01920-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The emergency department has been a major focus for the implementation of Australia’s national electronic health record, known as My Health Record. However, the association between use of My Health Record in the emergency department setting and patient care is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of emergency department clinicians regarding My Health Record use frequency, the benefits of My Health Record use (with a focus on patient care) and the barriers to use. Methods All 393 nursing, pharmacy, physician and allied health staff employed within the emergency department at a tertiary metropolitan public hospital in Melbourne were invited to participate in a web-based survey, between 1 May 2021 and 1 December 2021, during the height of the Delta and Omicron Covid-19 outbreaks in Victoria, Australia. Results Overall, the survey response rate was 18% (70/393). Approximately half of the sample indicated My Health Record use in the emergency department (n = 39, 56%, confidence interval [CI] 43–68%). The results showed that users typically only engaged with My Health Record less than once per shift (n = 15, 39%, CI 23–55%). Just over half (n = 19/39, 54%, CI 32–65%) of all participants who use My Health Record agreed they could remember a time when My Health Record had been critical to the care of a patient. Overall, clinicians indicated the biggest barrier preventing their use of My Health Record is that they forget to utilise the system. Conclusion The results suggest that My Health Record has not been adopted as routine practice in the emergency department, by the majority of participants. Close to half of self-identified users of My Health Record do not associate use as being critical to patient care. Instead, My Health Record may only be used in scenarios that clinicians perceive will yield the greatest benefit—which clinicians in this paper suggest is patients with chronic and complex conditions. Further research that explores the predictors to use and consumers most likely to benefit from use is recommended—and strategies to socialise this knowledge and educate clinicians is desperately required. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12911-022-01920-8.
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Predictors of clinician use of Australia’s national health information exchange in the emergency Department: An analysis of log data. Int J Med Inform 2022; 161:104725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Mullins A, O'Donnell R, Mousa M, Rankin D, Ben-Meir M, Boyd-Skinner C, Skouteris H. Health Outcomes and Healthcare Efficiencies Associated with the Use of Electronic Health Records in Hospital Emergency Departments: a Systematic Review. J Med Syst 2020; 44:200. [PMID: 33078276 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-020-01660-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Healthcare organisations and governments have invested heavily in electronic health records in anticipation that they will deliver improved health outcomes for consumers and efficiencies across emergency departments. Despite such investment, electronic health records designed to support emergency care have been poorly evaluated. Given the accelerated development and adoption of information technology across healthcare, it is timely that a systematic review of this evidence base is updated in order to drive improvements to design, interoperability and overall clinical utility of electronic health record systems implemented in emergency departments. To assess the impact of electronic health records on healthcare outcomes and efficiencies in the emergency department we carried out a systematic review of published studies on this topic. This is the first review to summarise the cost efficiencies associated with electronic health record use outside of just the United States of America. A systematic search was performed in three scientific databases (MEDLINE, EMcare and EMBASE), of literature published between January 2000 and September 2019. Studies were included in this review if they evaluated electronic health records or health information exchanges (and synonyms for these terms), reported patient outcome and/or healthcare efficiency benefits, were peer-reviewed and published in English. Out of 6635 articles, 23 studies met our inclusion criteria. Wide variation regarding electronic health record access in the emergency department was reported (1.46-56.6%), yet was most frequently reported as less than 20%. Seven different types of health outcomes and three different types of efficiency improvements associated with electronic health record use in the emergency department were identified. The most frequently reported findings were efficiencies, including reductions in diagnostic tests, imaging and costs. This review is the first to report moderate to significant increases in admission rates are associated with electronic health record use in the emergency department, contrasting the findings of previous reviews. Diversity in the methodology employed across the included studies emphasises the need for further research to examine the impact of electronic health record implementation and system design on the findings reported, in order to ensure return on investment for stakeholders and optimised consumer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Mullins
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Renee O'Donnell
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mariam Mousa
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Helen Skouteris
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Thomas K, Marcum J, Wagner A, Kohn MA. Impact of Scribes with Flow Coordination Duties on Throughput in an Academic Emergency Department. West J Emerg Med 2020; 21:653-659. [PMID: 32421515 PMCID: PMC7234711 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2020.2.46110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction With the increasing influence of electronic health records in emergency medicine came concerns of decreasing operational efficiencies. Particularly worrisome was increasing patient length of stay (LOS). Medical scribes were identified to be in a good position to quickly address barriers to treatment delivery and patient flow. The objective of this study was to investigate patient LOS in the mid- and low-acuity zones of an academic emergency department (ED) with and without medical scribes. Methods A retrospective cohort study compared patient volume and average LOS between a cohort without scribes and a cohort after the implementation of a scribe-flow coordinator program. Patients were triaged to the mid-acuity Vertical Zone (primarily Emergency Severity Index [ESI] 3) or low-acuity Fast Track (primarily ESI 4 and 5) at a tertiary academic ED. Patients were stratified by treatment zone, acuity level, and disposition. Results The pre-intervention and post-intervention periods included 8900 patients and 9935 patients, respectively. LOS for patients discharged from the Vertical Zone decreased by 12 minutes from 235 to 223 minutes (p<0.0001, 95% confidence interval [CI], −17,−7) despite a 10% increase in patient volume. For patients admitted from the Vertical Zone, volume increased 13% and LOS remained almost the same, increasing from 225 to 228 minutes (p=0.532, 95% CI, −6,12). For patients discharged from the Fast Track, volume increased 14% and LOS increased six minutes, from 89 to 95 minutes (p<0.0001, 95% CI, 4,9). Predictably, only 1% of Fast Track patients were admitted. Conclusion Despite substantially increased volume, the use of scribes as patient flow facilitators in the mid-acuity zone was associated with decreased LOS. In the low-acuity zone, scribes were not shown to be as effective, perhaps because rapid patient turnover required them to focus on documentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Thomas
- Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Joshua Marcum
- Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Alexei Wagner
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Michael A Kohn
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford, California
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Feblowitz J, Takhar SS, Ward MJ, Ribeira R, Landman AB. A Custom-Developed Emergency Department Provider Electronic Documentation System Reduces Operational Efficiency. Ann Emerg Med 2017; 70:674-682.e1. [PMID: 28712608 PMCID: PMC5653416 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE Electronic health record implementation can improve care, but may also adversely affect emergency department (ED) efficiency. We examine how a custom, ED provider, electronic documentation system (eDoc), which replaced paper documentation, affects operational performance. METHODS We analyzed retrospective operational data for 1-year periods before and after eDoc implementation in a single ED. We computed daily operational statistics, reflecting 60,870 pre- and 59,337 postimplementation patient encounters. The prespecified primary outcome was daily mean length of stay; secondary outcomes were daily mean length of stay for admitted and discharged patients and daily mean arrival time to disposition for admitted patients. We used a prespecified multiple regression model to identify differences in outcomes while controlling for prespecified confounding variables. RESULTS The unadjusted change in length of stay was 8.4 minutes; unadjusted changes in secondary outcomes were length of stay for admitted patients 11.4 minutes, length of stay for discharged patients 1.8 minutes, and time to disposition 1.8 minutes. With a prespecified regression analysis to control for variations in operational characteristics, there were significant increases in length of stay (6.3 minutes [95% confidence interval 3.5 to 9.1 minutes]) and length of stay for discharged patients (5.1 minutes [95% confidence interval 1.9 to 8.3 minutes]). There was no statistically significant change in length of stay for admitted patients or time to disposition. CONCLUSION In our single-center study, the isolated implementation of eDoc was associated with increases in overall and discharge length of stay. Our findings suggest that a custom-designed electronic provider documentation may negatively affect ED throughput. Strategies to mitigate these effects, such as reducing documentation requirements or adding clinical staff, scribes, or voice recognition, would be a valuable area of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Feblowitz
- Harvard Medical School and the Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Sukhjit S Takhar
- Harvard Medical School and the Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Michael J Ward
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Ryan Ribeira
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Adam B Landman
- Harvard Medical School and the Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Information Systems, Partners HealthCare, Somerville, MA.
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Rounds JA, Merianos AL, Bernard AL. Cardiometabolic risk factors and MyChart enrollment among adult patients. HEALTH POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Selck FW, Decker SL. Health Information Technology Adoption in the Emergency Department. Health Serv Res 2015; 51:32-47. [PMID: 25854423 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the trend in health information technology (IT) systems adoption in hospital emergency departments (EDs) and its effect on ED efficiency and resource use. DATA SOURCES 2007-2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey - ED Component. STUDY DESIGN We assessed changes in the percent of visits to EDs with health IT capability and the estimated effect on waiting time to see a provider, visit length, and resource use. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The percent of ED visits that took place in an ED with at least a basic health IT or an advanced IT system increased from 25.2 and 3.1 percent in 2007 to 69.1 and 30.6 percent in 2010, respectively (p < .05). Controlling for ED fixed effects, waiting times were reduced by 6.0 minutes in advanced IT-equipped EDs (p < .05), and the number of tests ordered increased by 9 percent (p < .01). In models using a 1-year lag, advanced systems also showed an increase in the number of medications and images ordered per visit. CONCLUSIONS Almost a third of visits now occur in EDs with advanced IT capability. While advanced IT adoption may decrease wait times, resource use during ED visits may also increase depending on how long the system has been in place. We were not able to determine if these changes indicated more appropriate care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic W Selck
- Bates White Economic Consulting, 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005
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Howard J, Clark EC, Friedman A, Crosson JC, Pellerano M, Crabtree BF, Karsh BT, Jaen CR, Bell DS, Cohen DJ. Electronic health record impact on work burden in small, unaffiliated, community-based primary care practices. J Gen Intern Med 2013; 28:107-13. [PMID: 22926633 PMCID: PMC3539023 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-012-2192-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2012] [Revised: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 07/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of electronic health records (EHR) is widely recommended as a means to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of US healthcare. Relatively little is known, however, about how implementation and use of this technology affects the work of clinicians and support staff who provide primary health care in small, independent practices. OBJECTIVE To study the impact of EHR use on clinician and staff work burden in small, community-based primary care practices. DESIGN We conducted in-depth field research in seven community-based primary care practices. A team of field researchers spent 9-14 days over a 4-8 week period observing work in each practice, following patients through the practices, conducting interviews with key informants, and collecting documents and photographs. Field research data were coded and analyzed by a multidisciplinary research team, using a grounded theory approach. PARTICIPANTS All practice members and selected patients in seven community-based primary care practices in the Northeastern US. KEY RESULTS The impact of EHR use on work burden differed for clinicians compared to support staff. EHR use reduced both clerical and clinical staff work burden by improving how they check in and room patients, how they chart their work, and how they communicate with both patients and providers. In contrast, EHR use reduced some clinician work (i.e., prescribing, some lab-related tasks, and communication within the office), while increasing other work (i.e., charting, chronic disease and preventive care tasks, and some lab-related tasks). Thoughtful implementation and strategic workflow redesign can mitigate the disproportionate EHR-related work burden for clinicians, as well as facilitate population-based care. CONCLUSIONS The complex needs of the primary care clinician should be understood and considered as the next iteration of EHR systems are developed and implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Howard
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Somerset, NJ, USA.
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Is electronic health record use associated with patient satisfaction in hospitals? Health Care Manage Rev 2012; 37:23-30. [PMID: 21918464 DOI: 10.1097/hmr.0b013e3182307bd3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between hospital electronic health record (EHR) use and patient satisfaction. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING We used EHR and other data from the American Hospital Association and Area Resource File as well as all 10 measures of patient satisfaction from the Hospital Compare data from 2008. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH We used a retrospective cross-sectional approach and control for potential selection bias with propensity score matching. Ten regression models were used to measure the relationship between EHR use and patient satisfaction. Of these, 3 of the 10 patient satisfaction items were hypothesized to be amenable by EHR automation; the remaining 7 measures served as counterfactuals. FINDINGS Electronic health record use was positively and significantly associated with the 3 hypothesized measures and none of the counterfactual measures of patient satisfaction. The three measures associated with EHR use included (a) whether the staff gave the patient information on what to do for recovery at home, (b) whether the patient would rate the hospital as a 9 or a 10, and (c) whether the patient would recommend the hospital. The significant relationships persisted with propensity score adjustments. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Electronic health record use is positively associated with 3 of 10 measures of patient satisfaction. Policy and decision makers interested in EHR adoption should also consider the potential impact that such adoption can have on patient satisfaction.
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First medical contact and physicians' opinion after the implementation of an electronic record system. Am J Emerg Med 2011; 30:1235-40. [PMID: 22030205 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2011.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 06/07/2011] [Accepted: 06/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hospitals implement electronic medical record systems (EMRSs) that are intended to support medical and nursing staff in their daily work. Evolution toward more computerization seems inescapable. Nevertheless, this evolution introduced new problems of organization. This before-and-after observational study evaluated the door-to-first-medical-contact (FMC) times before and after the introduction of EMRS. A satisfaction questionnaire, administered after the "after" period, measured clinicians' satisfaction concerning computerization in routine clinical use. The following 5 questions were asked: Do you spare time in your note taking with EMRS? Do you spare time in the medical care that you provide to the patients with EMRS? Does EMRS improve the quality of medical care for your patients? Are you satisfied with the EMRS implementation? Would you prefer a return to handwritten records? Results showed an increase in door-to-FMC time induced by EMRS and a lower triage capacity. In the satisfaction questionnaire, clinicians reported minimal satisfaction but refused to return to handwritten records. The increase in door-to-FMC time may be explained by the improved quantity/quality of data and by the many interruptions due to the software. Medical reorganization was requested after the installation of the EMRS.
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