Implementing an electronic medical record at a residency site: physicians' perceived effects on quality of care, documentation, and productivity. WMJ 2009 Apr;108(2):99-103
Date
05/15/2009Pubmed ID
19437936Scopus ID
2-s2.0-67449093188 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 16 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are quickly becoming a standard component of medical practices.
OBJECTIVES: We longitudinally studied the impact of EMR implementation on physician perceptions of quality of care, documentation, and work hours, as well as on measured physician productivity.
METHODS: Physicians were surveyed at 3-month intervals regarding perceived impact of the EMR on quality of care, documentation, and productivity. Relative Value Units (RVUs) per clinic hours were used to measure productivity. Paired t-tests were used to compare the mean RVUs per clinic hour in the pre-EMR with the immediate post-EMR time period and the long-term post-EMR time period.
RESULTS: RVUs per hour increased significantly from the pre-EMR time period to the immediate post-EMR time period (means 1.49 and 1.82, respectively, P = 0.0007). The long-term post-EMR time period also showed a significant increase over the pre-EMR period (mean 1.79, P = 0.007). Sixty-six percent of physicians perceived that EMR implementation increased their work amount a little or much more.
CONCLUSION: Not only did physician production rise immediately, it stayed at the increased level for the duration of our study period. This may be due to improved documentation supporting more appropriate billing. However, physicians also perceived the EMR as taking up more of their time.
Author List
Brotzman GL, Guse CE, Fay DL, Schellhase KG, Marbella AMAuthor
Kenneth G. Schellhase MD, MPH Adjunct Professor in the Family Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Attitude of Health PersonnelComputer Literacy
Documentation
Efficiency
Humans
Internship and Residency
Longitudinal Studies
Medical Records Systems, Computerized
Multivariate Analysis
Quality of Health Care
Surveys and Questionnaires
Wisconsin
Workload
