Measuring and Maximizing Undivided Attention in the Context of Electronic Health Records

Undivided attention is a clinician's superpower.1 Often called deep work,2 being in the flow, or being in the zone—when health professionals are able to perform their responsibilities with full focus and presence,3 the care itself is safer and the care process is more satisfying to patients and clinicians alike.4 The opposite of this state is split attention, moments when clinicians lose focus and, as a result, risk missing important incoming data—whether a cue from the patient's body language or tone of voice,5 a relevant element of the past medical history, or an abnormal test result.