Electronic health record innovations: Helping physicians – One less click at a time

BACKGROUND: Physician burnout is becoming an epidemic, due to the pressures of being productive, an imperfect electronic health record (EHR) system, and limited face-to-face time with patients. Poor usability in EHR-user interface can force users to go through more steps (i.e. more clicks on the computer) in accomplishing a task. OBJECTIVE: This increased 'click burden' is a source of frustration for physicians. In the light of increased click burden and time due to meaningful use requirements, there is a need to improve the physician's experience by creating innovations in EHR. METHOD: This case study describes an attempt by physicians at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital to enhance the EHR experience with more efficient methods of documentation, chart review, ordering and patient safety. RESULTS: The EHR innovations trialled in this study were: a mobile documentation application; abnormal test results auto-populated into an EHR patient summary; physician alerts to reduce inappropriate test ordering; and a system of safety alerts on a dashboard. These innovations led to decreased click burden and allowed physicians to spend less time on the computer and more time with patients. CONCLUSION: Physician-driven changes to EHR systems have the potential to streamline virtual workflows and the management of health information and to improve patient safety, reduce physician burnout and increase physician job satisfaction.