Now we have a new three-year study published in the Annals of Family Medicine led by the University of Wisconsin Medical School tracking EHR data entry as 52 percent: 5.9 hours of an 11.4 hour workday. This includes allied clerical and administrative tasks including documentation, order entry, billing and coding, and system security accounting for 2.6 hours, close to 50 percent of the 5.9 hours daily.
Is there a way out? The study’s recommendations were:
- Proactive planned care
- Team-based care that includes expanded rooming protocols, standing orders and panel management
- Sharing of clerical tasks including documentation, order entry and prescription management
- Verbal communication and shared inbox work
- Improved team function.
Much of this sounds like burden shifting to deal with the EHR, not a redesign of the EHR itself, but the commentary in AMA Wire makes it clear that it was shifted in the first place by the EHR designers from other staff to the doctor for direct entry. Other time savings could be realized through moving to single sign-on (versus dual entry passwords) to advanced voice-recognition software. (UW release)
The earlier ACP study excerpt in NJEM Journal Watch has physician comments below the article and they blast away: (more…)
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