Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care

Physician burnout has been increasing in the United States, especially in primary care, and the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is a prominent contributor. This review article summarizes findings from a PubMed literature search that shows the significant contributors to EHR-related burnout m...

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Main Author: Jeffrey Budd
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2023-04-01
Series:Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231166921
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author Jeffrey Budd
author_facet Jeffrey Budd
author_sort Jeffrey Budd
collection DOAJ
description Physician burnout has been increasing in the United States, especially in primary care, and the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is a prominent contributor. This review article summarizes findings from a PubMed literature search that shows the significant contributors to EHR-related burnout may be documentation and clerical burdens, complex usability, electronic messaging and inbox, cognitive load, and time demands. Documentation requirements have escalated and have inherently changed from paper-based records. Many clerical tasks have also shifted to become additional physician responsibilities. When considering factors of efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction, EHRs overall have an inferior usability score when compared to other technologies. The volume and organization of data along with alerts and complex interfaces require a substantial cognitive load and result in cognitive fatigue. Patient interactions and work-life balances are negatively affected by the time requirements of EHR tasks during and after clinic hours. Patient portals and EHR messaging have created a separate source of patient care outside of face-to-face visits that is often unaccounted productivity and not reimbursable.
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spelling doaj.art-3a1f560a20064269bb0b7c59b25f8fc52023-04-19T11:33:51ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Primary Care & Community Health2150-13272023-04-011410.1177/21501319231166921Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary CareJeffrey Budd0University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USAPhysician burnout has been increasing in the United States, especially in primary care, and the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is a prominent contributor. This review article summarizes findings from a PubMed literature search that shows the significant contributors to EHR-related burnout may be documentation and clerical burdens, complex usability, electronic messaging and inbox, cognitive load, and time demands. Documentation requirements have escalated and have inherently changed from paper-based records. Many clerical tasks have also shifted to become additional physician responsibilities. When considering factors of efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction, EHRs overall have an inferior usability score when compared to other technologies. The volume and organization of data along with alerts and complex interfaces require a substantial cognitive load and result in cognitive fatigue. Patient interactions and work-life balances are negatively affected by the time requirements of EHR tasks during and after clinic hours. Patient portals and EHR messaging have created a separate source of patient care outside of face-to-face visits that is often unaccounted productivity and not reimbursable.https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231166921
spellingShingle Jeffrey Budd
Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care
Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
title Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care
title_full Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care
title_fullStr Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care
title_full_unstemmed Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care
title_short Burnout Related to Electronic Health Record Use in Primary Care
title_sort burnout related to electronic health record use in primary care
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231166921
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