EHR use and patient satisfaction: What we learned.

Publisher: Frontline Medical Communications Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7502590 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1533-7294 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00943509 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Fam Pract Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: Parsippany, NJ : Frontline Medical Communications
Original Publication: New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Attitude of Health Personnel* ; Electronic Health Records* ; Patient Satisfaction* ; Physician-Patient Relations*; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; California ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Office Visits ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: Few studies have quantitatively examined the degree to which the use of the computer affects patients' satisfaction with the clinician and the quality of the visit. We conducted a study to examine this association.
Methods: Twenty-three clinicians (21 internal medicine physicians, 2 nurse practitioners) were recruited from 4 Veteran Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) clinics located in San Diego, Calif. Five to 6 patients for most clinicians (one patient each for 2 of the clinicians) were recruited to participate in a study of patient-physician communication. The clinicians' computer use and the patient-clinician interactions in the exam room were captured in real time via video recordings of the interactions and the computer screen, and through the use of the Morae usability testing software system, which recorded clinician clicks and scrolls on the computer. After the visit, patients were asked to complete a satisfaction survey.
Results: The final sample consisted of 126 consultations. Total patient satisfaction (beta=0.014; P=.027) and patient satisfaction with patient-centered communication (beta=0.02; P=.02) were significantly associated with higher clinician “gaze time” at the patient. A higher percentage of gaze time during a visit (controlling for the length of the visit) was significantly associated with greater satisfaction with patient-centered communication (beta=0.628; P=.033).
Conclusions: Higher clinician gaze time at the patient predicted greater patient satisfaction. This suggests that clinicians would be well served to refine their multitasking skills so that they communicate in a patient-centered manner while performing necessary computer-related tasks. These findings also have important implications for clinical training with respect to using an electronic health record (EHR) system in ways that do not impede the one-on-one conversation between clinician and patient.

Comment in: J Fam Pract. 2016 Apr;65(4):229-57. (PMID: 27262245)

Date Created: 20151224 Date Completed: 20160428 Latest Revision: 20151223

20240104

26697540