Examine: Elevated EHR use linked with some improved high quality outcomes

A cross-sectional examine discovered elevated EHR use amongst main care physicians was related to enchancment in some high quality measures, like diabetes and hypertension management and adherence to breast most cancers screening. 

The examine, printed in JAMA Community Open and carried out by way of Brigham and Girls’s Hospital and Massachusetts Basic Hospital in 2021, examined 291 main care physicians’ demographic and observe traits and time spent utilizing the EHR. 

PCPs spent a median of 145.9 minutes each day on the EHR in whole. Vital associations have been famous between EHR time and panel-level achievement of hemoglobin A1c management, hypertension management and breast most cancers screening targets. 

“In adjusted analyses, every extra quarter-hour of whole each day EHR time was related to 0.58 share level better panel-level hemoglobin A1c management, 0.52 share level better hypertension management and 0.28 larger breast most cancers screening charges,” the examine’s authors wrote. 

“Every each day extra quarter-hour of in-basket time was related to 2.26 better panel-wide hemoglobin A1c management, 1.65 share level better hypertension management, and 1.26 share level larger breast most cancers screening charges.” 

Researchers famous the examine has limitations, because it focuses on solely two tutorial medical facilities with PCPs and their practices might not signify the broader U.S. main care inhabitants. Each amenities even have established inhabitants well being applications that will affect ambulatory high quality outcomes for the PCPs concerned within the examine. 

Researchers additionally famous a scarcity of information relating to particular PCP-patient interactions. They have been, due to this fact, unable to regulate for different components, similar to continuity of affected person care, particular person affected person interactions with employees and the variety of consultants concerned in a affected person’s care. 

“Though elevated EHR time is related to burnout, it could signify a degree of thoroughness or communication that enhances sure outcomes,” researchers wrote. “It might be helpful for future research to characterize cost fashions, workflows and applied sciences that allow high-quality ambulatory care supply whereas minimizing EHR burden.”

WHY IT MATTERS

Though elevated communication between sufferers and physicians by way of EHR might result in improved affected person outcomes, clinicians are experiencing burnout at file ranges. 

A survey of docs printed earlier this 12 months reveals total doctor burnout price spiked dramatically following the emergence of COVID-19, measured at 62.8% in 2021 in contrast with 38.2% in 2020. 

Moreover, a examine printed in Mayo Clinic Proceedings revealed dissatisfaction amongst physicians with EHR, the place 870 physicians took half in a survey evaluating the usability of EHR. The healthcare suppliers rated the usability of present EHR techniques utilizing a standardized metric as “not acceptable” or with a grade of F, and a robust relationship was current between EHR usability and doctor burnout.