How EHRs Tied Up Physician Time in 2015

Troy Parks | AMA Wire | December 11, 2015

As the year draws to a close, we’re taking a look at five of the topics that struck a special chord with the medical community throughout 2015. Burdensome regulations and technology have led physicians to spend considerable time struggling with their electronic health records (EHR). Fortunately, policymakers and health IT developers are starting to take note.

Physicians shared key insights about their EHRs in a survey by AmericanEHR Partners released this summer. The survey showed that physicians think the investments in EHRs are failing to offer substantial returns. Impractical technology has meant that too much time is spent on clerical work, stealing time that would otherwise be spent with patients.

In the fall, the AMA and MedStar Health released an EHR User-Centered Design Evaluation Framework that compared the design and testing processes for 20 of the most common EHR products. Out of the 20 products examined, only three met the basic capabilities. The framework shines light on the low-bar of the certification process and calls for improvements...