CanadianEMR - Preliminary 2007 National Physician Survey Data

Preliminary Data 2007 National Physician Survey - Productivity Private and Confidential Prepared by Dr. Alan Brookstone & Greig Pothan October, 2008

Background Information

Analysis of 2007 National Physician Survey data

Supported by a funding grant from NRC-IRAP & MITACS (Sauder School of Business)

Objective:

To measure the value of eHealth in the context of the Electronic Medical Record that exists in the Specialist and GP office

System Productivity

Is there a relationship between use of EMRs and Wait Times?

Using NPS (National Physician Survey) Data 2007

23,292 physicians surveyed (Specialist and GP)

16,179 – Use Paper Records

3,916 – Combination of EMR plus Paper

3,197 – Electronic Medical Records

Findings: EMR based practices appear to have shorter wait times for Urgent referrals

Physician Productivity (GP & Specialist)

EMR Impact on Wait Times for Urgent Referrals

GP’s and Specialists

main patient care setting of

Private office/ clinic (excluding free standing walk-in clinics),

Community clinic/ Community health centre, or

Free-standing walk-in clinic

N=23,292 GPs and Specialists

Paper 1.895

Combination 2.228

Electronic 1.370

EMR 27.7% reduction vs. Paper CFPC/CMA/ RCPSC National Physician Survey Database, 2004 or 2007 "Protected by Copyright”

System Capacity

Is there a relationship between use of EMRs and ability to accept new patients in primary care?

In 2008, there were up to 5 million Canadians who were unable to find a family doctor

Findings: EMR based GP practices appear to have greater capacity to accept new patients

System Capacity

GPs with partially closed practices ability to accept new patients (Mean estimated number of new patients in the past 12 months)

GP’s only

main patient care setting of

Private office/ clinic (excluding free standing walk-in clinics),

Community clinic/ Community health centre, or

Free-standing walk-in clinic

N=15,316 GPs

Paper – 63.267

Combination – 60.810

Electronic – 89.401

EMR 29% increase over paper CFPC/CMA/ RCPSC National Physician Survey Database, 2004 or 2007 "Protected by Copyright”

System Throughput ~ Efficiency

Is there a relationship between GP practices that use EMR alone and those that use EMR plus paper (mixed) in terms of system efficiency/throughput?

NPS Survey 2007 (FP/GP)

Use paper: 63.4%

Used mixed: 19.4%

Only EMR: 12.3%

Not Reported: 4.9%

N=4,724 physicians

Findings: The mixed environment appears worse than paper records and worse than EMR

System Throughput – GP GPs in a mixed environment appear to spend longer with their patients per visit than either paper or electronic Mixed: 1% less throughput Paper: Neutral EMR: 11% more throughput Difference: +/- 12% N=4,724 GPs Paper 17.78 Combination 17.89 Electronic 15.88 CFPC/CMA/ RCPSC National Physician Survey Database, 2004 or 2007 "Protected by Copyright”