Michael Raddock, MD. Department of Family Medicine MetroHealth Medical Center Cleveland, Ohio
The EHR is a relatively new tool that is in a state of evolution and is changing based on the priorities of the designers and buyers of these systems as well as payers and regulatory entities. Like any tool, the EHR will have strengths and weaknesses depending on it's design as well as the skill and experience of the users.
Many EHRs are currently optimized for billing, coding, capture/analysis/display/retrieval of granular data. EHRs are part of health care systems that further influence their optimization and use. Financial incentives from the government such as Meaningful use and Patient Health Quality Reporting influence the design and prioritization of EHRs. Insufficient input from clinicians and patients
There are areas of convergence and divergence when one looks at the priorities of purchasers, payers, and designers of EHR’s, as well as those of clinicians and the patients. Patients and clinicians may want systems that are optimized for: strengthening patient- clinician relationships, fostering co-created narratives, communication, collaboration, and patient self-efficacy.
It depends on the clinician and the situation! Optimized for relationship building, improving patient engagement and efficacy, making administrative/documentation easier. Optimized for images (dermatologists) Optimized for granular data capture, retrieval, and analysis (quantitative researchers)
To help their providers and health systems to keep track of their information reliably To have information more easily shared among providers and facilities To help avoid mistakes To help them feel heard and valued as individuals To help them be healthy
To help track costs, quality (process and outcomes), and variation To automate the administrative work as much as possible To improve the bottom line
Large EHR vendors (such as Epic) are interested in increasing profits and market share by working with large systems. EHR designers want clarity about interoperability, customer priorities, and user interfaces so they can meet buyer’s needs.
EHR's are still in their relative infancy in terms of being optimized for the many specialized tasks that occur in health systems. Future evolution of EHRs will be influenced by the priorities and incentives of the designers and buyers of these tools. Behavioral scientists and patients should have a role in the design and optimization of EHRs that reflect our priorities.