Is your EHR causing you stress? Many US physicians are opting out of practicing altogether for being unable to deal with the electronic health data system.

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Physicians Quitting their Jobs Due to Poorly-designed EHRs
Poorly-designed EHRs are taking a toll on US physicians. Regular notifications, pop-ups, emails and check-boxes in the EHR system have been distracting them from offering quality patient care. Overabundance of alerts and alarms is also increasing negative perception of the technology which has brought down the job satisfaction levels among physicians and non-physician clinicians.
Quick Facts:
According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Managed Care, poorly-designed EHR systems are forcing doctors to take early retirement. It is also contributing to high turnover among frustrated physicians
As per a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine, 87% physicians are of the view that the number and frequency of EHR alerts is “excessive”
It has become important to formulate solutions that would help improve the usability of health record systems.
Are you Satisfied with your EHR?
It has been observed that providers who are able to perceive the benefits of EHR and health IT in better healthcare provision are more successful in surviving the challenges of Obamacare. They are not only satisfied with their workflow but also less likely to quit.
However, providers who fail to understand the value of EHR alerts are more likely to get frustrated and quit. This is because they are unable to see the value in their health record system. Notifications are seen as a waste of time rather than a benefit for care co-ordination.
The majority of physicians get frustrated with EHR alerts. They feel these alerts not only increase the number of work items but also drive up the time required for processing each item. Poorly designed alerts make it difficult for physicians to differentiate between critical and routine data. This can pose serious risk to the patients if important information is missed.
For instance, in 2013 an incorrect paper-based workflow that bypassed the electronic drug interaction alerts was considered the main reason behind three deaths at the Memphis VA Medical Center. Similarly, in 2014 the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital blamed its bad EHR design for their inability to perform a successful diagnosis of Ebola virus in Thomas Duncan (first patient to die of Ebola in the US).

2. Call now 888-357-3226 (Toll Free)
info@medicalbillers.com
www.medicalbillersandcoders.com
Copyright ©-2014 MBC. All Rights Reserved
2
EHR Design Overhaul is Required
Recently, the American Medical Association called for a design overhaul of EHRs in order to reduce the discontent among doctors. AMA also released a framework in September 2014 that outlines the priorities for improving the usability of health record systems. Some of the usability priorities are as mentioned below:
 Supporting team-based care
 Enhancing the ability of physicians to provide quality patient care
 Reduction of cognitive workload
 Promotion of care co-ordination
 Promotion of data liquidity
 Facilitation of digital and mobile patient engagement
Apart from a successful selection and implementation of the EHR system, physicians also need to understand the value of delivering effective and efficient patient care with the help of the software. Need help with successful implementation of health record system? Contact MedicalBillersandCoders.com for effective EHR consultancy and RCM solutions. MBC’s team of experts will not only help you solve revenue challenges but also offer assistance in optimizing the usage of EHR.
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