EHRs are supposed to usher in the dawn of paperless practice by streamlining practice workflows and eliminating the need for physical storage space — an epigram commonly heard in the healthcare industry.
But with studies like this one showing that 10 out of 11 primary care practices are using paper workarounds instead of fully utilizing their EHR’s features, what went wrong?
Overlooking functionality went wrong. Cramming as many features as possible into EHR software without regard to usability went wrong. In the end, it’s all a result of faulty EHR design.
This is why we recommend paying attention to design just as much as capabilities when looking to purchase an EHR solution.
Not to toot our own horn, but CareCloud knows a thing or two about EHR design. In June, our Charts EHR was rated by Software Advice as the best EHR in terms of user experience.
Today, we’ll review the most commonly cited issues related to paper workarounds and how a well-designed EHR addresses these concerns.
Efficiency
According to a 2012 American College of Physicians survey, 37% of physicians say they’re dissatisfied with their EHR system’s efficiency. The problem is that most EHRs simply aren’t designed with ease of use taken into consideration.
Well-conceptualized software will minimize the opening of windows and the number of clicks needed to complete tasks, allowing doctors to focus less energy on inputting data and more on improving patient outcomes.
Memory
One major memory-based workaround reported by practices is writing down notes as a reminder for future tasks, rather than entering them into their EHR. Particularly pervasive was the use of post-it notes. But an EHR should be designed to provide a clear, organized view of all upcoming duties.
Also, the patient flow should be displayed in a way that makes a patient’s standing in the cycle apparent to staff — this way they’re never left waiting by forgetful employees. The patient experience will be improved and the physician-patient relationship strengthened as a result.
Awareness
Staff at practices using paper workarounds also reported writing down vitals or other data on health screening forms so physicians would have the information readily available during patient encounters.
Presumably, these physicians avoided using the EHR to access this data because the design wasn’t conducive to their workflows. Before purchasing an EHR, find out if a substantial amount of testing from actual physicians was performed on the product. There can often be a disconnect between software developers and practicing physicians.
Remember, your EHR needs to be designed with the user in mind. If not, paper workarounds can lead to a multitude of pitfalls that EHRs are supposed to help physicians overcome.
The way we see it, if you’re going to invest thousands of dollars into a new EHR, it might as well be one you love to use.
Do you know what you need when setting up a new medical practice?
