Physician Specialty and Variations in Adoption of Electronic Health Records

Objective

Efforts to promote adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) have focused on primary care physicians, who are now expected to exchange data electronically with other providers, including specialists. However, the variation of EHR adoption among specialists is underexplored.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to determine the association between physician specialty and the prevalence of EHR adoption, and a retrospective serial cross-sectional study to determine the association of physician specialty and the rate of EHR adoption over time. We used the 2005–2009 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We considered fourteen specialties, and four definitions of EHR adoption (any EHR, basic EHR, full EHR, and a novel definition of EHR sophistication). We used multivariable logistic regression, and adjusted for several covariates (geography, practice characteristics, revenue characteristics, physician degree).

Results

Physician specialty was significantly associated with EHR adoption, regardless of the EHR definition, after adjusting for covariates. Psychiatrists, dermatologists, pediatricians, ophthalmologists, and general surgeons were significantly less likely to adopt EHRs, compared to the reference group of family medicine / general practitioners. After adjustment for covariates, these specialties were 44 – 94% less likely to adopt EHRs than the reference group. EHR adoption increased in all specialties, by approximately 40% per year. The rate of EHR adoption over time did not significantly vary by specialty.

Conclusions

Although EHR adoption is increasing in all specialties, adoption varies widely by specialty. In order to insure each individual’s network of providers can electronically share data, widespread adoption of EHRs is needed across all specialties.     

Clinical Summarization Capabilities of Commercially-available and Internally-developed Electronic Health Records

Objective

Clinical summarization, the process by which relevant patient information is electronically summarized and presented at the point of care, is of increasing importance given the increasing volume of clinical data in electronic health record systems (EHRs). There is a paucity of research on electronic clinical summarization, including the capabilities of currently available EHR systems.

Methods

We compared different aspects of general clinical summary screens used in twelve different EHR systems using a previously described conceptual model: AORTIS (Aggregation, Organization, Reduction, Interpretation and Synthesis).

Results

We found a wide variation in the EHRs’ summarization capabilities: all systems were capable of simple aggregation and organization of limited clinical content, but only one demonstrated an ability to synthesize information from the data.

Conclusion

Improvement of the clinical summary screen functionality for currently available EHRs is necessary. Further research should identify strategies and methods for creating easy to use, well-designed clinical summary screens that aggregate, organize and reduce all pertinent patient information as well as provide clinical interpretations and synthesis as required.     

Effects of Automated Immunization Registry Reporting via an Electronic Health Record Deployed in Community Practice Settings

Background

Among the expected benefits of electronic health records (EHRs) is increased reporting of public health information, such as immunization status. State and local immunization registries aid control of vaccine-preventable diseases and help offset fragmentation in healthcare, but reporting is often slow and incomplete. The Primary Care Information Project (PCIP), an initiative of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, has implemented EHRs with immunization reporting capability in community settings.

Objective and Methods

To evaluate the effect of automated reporting via an EHR on use and efficiency of reporting to the NY Citywide Immunization Registry, we conducted a secondary analysis of 1.7 million de-identified records submitted between January 2007 and June 2011 by 217 primary care practices enrolled in PCIP, pre and post launch of automated reporting via an EHR. We examined differences in records submitted per day, lag time, and documentation of eligibility for subsidized vaccines.

Results

Mean submissions per day did not change. Automated submissions of new and historical records increased by 18% and 98% respectively. Submissions within 14 days increased from 84% to 87%, and within 2 days increased from 60% to 77%. Median lag time decreased from 13 to 10 days. Documentation of eligibility decreased. Results are significant at p<0.001.

Conclusions

Significant improvements in registry use and efficiency of reporting were found after launch of automated reporting via an EHR. A decrease in eligibility documentation was attributed to EHR workflow. The limitations to comprehensive evaluation found in these data, which were extracted from a registry initiated prior to widespread EHR implementation suggests that reliable evaluation of immunization reporting via the EHR may require modifications to legacy registry databases.     

Electronic Health Record Adoption – Maybe It’s not about the Money: Physician Super-Users,Electronic Health Records and Patient Care

Objective

The slow adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems has been linked to physician resistance to change and the expense of EHR adoption. This qualitative study was conducted to evaluate benefits, and clarify limitations of two mature, robust, comprehensive EHR Systems by tech-savvy physicians where resistance and expense are not at issue.

Methods

Two EHR systems were examined – the paperless VistA / Computerized Patient Record System used at the Veterans’ Administration, and the General Electric Centricity Enterprise system used at an academic medical center. A series of interviews was conducted with 20 EHR-savvy multiinstitutional internal medicine (IM) faculty and house staff. Grounded theory was used to analyze the transcribed data and build themes. The relevance and importance of themes were constructed by examining their frequency, convergence, and intensity.

Results

Despite eliminating resistance to both adoption and technology as drivers of acceptance, these two robust EHR’s are still viewed as having an adverse impact on two aspects of patient care, physician workflow and team communication. Both EHR’s had perceived strengths but also significant limitations and neither were able to satisfactorily address all of the physicians’ needs.

Conclusion

Difficulties related to physician acceptance reflect real concerns about EHR impact on patient care. Physicians are optimistic about the future benefits of EHR systems, but are frustrated with the non-intuitive interfaces and cumbersome data searches of existing EHRs.     

An Information Systems Model of the Determinants of Electronic Health Record Use

Objectives

The prominence given to universal implementation of electronic health record (EHR) systems in U.S. health care reform, underscores the importance of devising reliable measures of factors that predict medical care providers’ use of EHRs. This paper presents an easily administered provider survey instrument that includes measures corresponding to core dimensions of DeLone and McClean’s (D & M) model of information system success.

Methods

Study data came from self-administered surveys completed by 460 primary care providers, who had recently begun using an EHR.

Results

Based upon assessment of psychometric properties of survey items, a revised D&M causal model was formulated that included four measures of the determinants of EHR use (system quality, IT support, ease of use, user satisfaction) and five indicators of provider beliefs about the impact on an individual’s clinical practice. A structural equation model was estimated that demonstrated a high level of inter-correlation between the four scales measuring determinants of EHR use. All four variables had positive association with each of the five individual impact measures. Consistent with our revised D&M model, the association of system quality and IT support with the individual impact measures was entirely mediated by ease of use and user satisfaction.

Conclusions

Survey research provides important insights into provider experiences with EHR. Additional studies are in progress to investigate how the variables constructed for this study are related to direct measures of EHR use.     

Motivations and barriers to implementing electronic health records and ED information systems in Japan

Background

Although electronic health record systems (EHRs) and emergency department information systems (EDISs) enable safe, efficient, and high-quality care, these systems have not yet been studied well. Here, we assessed (1) the prevalence of EHRs and EDISs, (2) changes in efficiency in emergency medical practices after introducing EHR and EDIS, and (3) barriers to and expectations from the EHR-EDIS transition in EDs of medical facilities with EHRs in Japan.

Materials and methods

A survey regarding EHR (basic or comprehensive) and EDIS implementation was mailed to 466 hospitals. We examined the efficiency after EHR implementation and perceived barriers and expectations regarding the use of EDIS with existing EHRs. The survey was completed anonymously.

Results

Totally, 215 hospitals completed the survey (response rate, 46.1%), of which, 76.3% had basic EHRs, 4.2% had comprehensive EHRs, and 1.9% had EDISs. After introducing EHRs and EDISs, a reduction in the time required to access previous patient information and share patient information was noted, but no change was observed in the time required to produce medical records and the overall time for each medical care. For hospitals with EHRs, the most commonly cited barriers to EDIS implementation were inadequate funding for adoption and maintenance and potential adverse effects on workflow. The most desired function in the EHR-EDIS transition was establishing appropriate clinical guidelines for residents within their system.

Conclusion

To attract EDs to EDIS from EHR, systems focusing on decreasing the time required to produce medical records and establishing appropriate clinical guidelines for residents are required.     

Management of neonatal jaundice varies by practitioner type

Objective

To survey current practices among different types of medical practitioners in Ontario to assess if national guidelines for screening and management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia were being followed.

Design

An anonymized, cross-sectional survey distributed by mail and e-mail.

Setting

Ontario.

Participants

From each group (general practitioners, family medicine practitioners, and pediatricians), 500 participants were randomly selected, and all 390 registered midwives were selected.

Main outcome measures

Compliance with national guidelines for screening, postdischarge follow-up, and management of newborns with hyperbilirubinemia.

Results

Of the 1890 potential respondents, 321 (17%) completed the survey. Only 41% of family physicians reported using national guidelines, compared with 75% and 69% of pediatricians and midwives, respectively (P < .001). Bilirubin was routinely measured for all newborns before discharge by 42% of family physicians, 63% of pediatricians, and 22% of midwives (P < .001). Newborn follow-up was completed within 72 hours after discharge by 60% of family physicians, 89% of pediatricians, and 100% of midwives. Management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia differed significantly (P < .001), with 91% of family physicians, 99% of pediatricians, and 79% of midwives correctly managing a case scenario according to the guidelines.

Conclusion

The management of jaundice varied considerably among the different practitioner types, with pediatricians both most aware of the guidelines and most likely to follow them. Increased knowledge translation efforts are required to promote adherence to the jaundice management guidelines across all practitioner types, but particularly among family physicians.     

Transitioning from a Legacy EHR to a Commercial,Vendor-supplied,EHR: One Academic Health System’s Experience

Objective

Describe the planning, decisions, and implementation results experienced during the large-scale transition from one EHR to another throughout a large academic health system, which occurred simultaneously throughout both in-patient and all ambulatory settings

Methods

Review of internal decision-making documents, interviews with key participants, and data from conversion software

Results

Over 7,000 unique users caring for a population of more than 1.2 million patients in both inpatient and outpatient venues and distributed across two states were successfully transitioned to a new EHR simultaneously. Challenges in data conversion were encountered resulting in more work for end-users than desired or anticipated. Users continued to access older information (principally schedules) in the legacy EHR one year later

Conclusion

Data conversion from one EHR to another can be unsuccessful due to differences in how EHR’s structure data obtained from underlying feeder applications or databases. Abstraction of only the pertinent clinical content is difficult in the context of transitioning to a new EHR. Clinicians require facile access to legacy content that can be achieved by implanting CCOW compliant solutions.     

Impact of a Prototype Visualization Tool for New Information in EHR Clinical Documents

Background

EHR clinical document synthesis by clinicians may be time-consuming and error-prone due to the complex organization of narratives, excessive redundancy within documents, and, at times, inadvertent proliferation of data inconsistencies. Development of EHR systems that are easily adaptable to the user’s work processes requires research into visualization techniques that can optimize information synthesis at the point of care.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of a prototype visualization tool for clinically relevant new information on clinicians’ synthesis of EHR clinical documents and to understand how the tool may support future designs of clinical document user interfaces.

Methods

A mixed methods approach to analyze the impact of the visualization tool was used with a sample of eight medical interns as they synthesized EHR clinical documents to accomplish a set of four pre-formed clinical scenarios using a think-aloud protocol.

Results

Differences in the missing (unretrieved) patient information (2.3±1.2 [with the visualization tool] vs. 6.8±1.2 [without the visualization tool], p = 0.08) and accurate inferences (1.3±0.3 vs 2.3±0.3, p = 0.09) were not statistically significant but suggest some improvement with the new information visualization tool. Despite the non-significant difference in total times to task completion (43±4 mins vs 36±4 mins, p = 0.35) we observed shorter times for two scenarios with the visualization tool, suggesting that the time-saving benefits may be more evident with certain clinical processes. Other observed effects of the tool include more intuitive navigation between patient details and increased efforts towards methodical synthesis of clinical documents.

Conclusion

Our study provides some evidence that new information visualization in clinical notes may positively influence synthesis of patient information from EHR clinical documents. Our findings provide groundwork towards a more effective display of EHR clinical documents using advanced visualization applications.     

Do family physicians,emergency department physicians,and pediatricians give consistent sport-related concussion management advice?

Objective

To identify differences and gaps in recommendations to patients for the management of sport-related concussion among FPs, emergency department physicians (EDPs), and pediatricians.

Design

A self-administered, multiple-choice survey was e-mailed to FPs, EDPs, and pediatricians. The survey had been assessed for content validity.

Setting

Two community teaching hospitals in the greater Toronto area in Ontario.

Participants

Two hundred seventy physicians, including FPs, EDPs, and pediatricians, were invited to participate.

Main outcome measures

Identification of sources of concussion management information, usefulness of concussion diagnosis strategies, and whether physicians use common terminology when explaining cognitive rest strategies to patients after sport-related concussions.

Results

The response rate was 43.7%. Surveys were completed by 70 FPs, 23 EDPs, and 11 pediatricians. In total, 49% of FP, 52% of EDP, and 27% of pediatrician respondents reported no knowledge of any consensus statements on concussion in sport, and 54% of FPs, 86% of EDPs, and 78% of pediatricians never used the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, version 2. Only 49% of FPs, 57% of EDPs, and 36% of pediatricians always advised cognitive rest.

Conclusion

This study identified large gaps in the knowledge of concussion guidelines and implementation of recommendations for treating patients with sport-related concussions. Although some physicians recommended physical and cognitive rest, a large proportion failed to consistently advise this strategy. Better knowledge transfer efforts should target all 3 groups of physicians.     

Operational data integrity during electronic health record implementation in the ED

Objective

Operational data are often used to make systems changes in real time. Inaccurate data, however, transiently, can result in inappropriate operational decision making. Implementing electronic health records (EHRs) is fraught with the possibility of data errors, but the frequency and magnitude of transient errors during this fast-evolving systems upheaval are unknown. This study was done to assess operational data quality in an emergency department (ED) immediately before and after an EHR implementation.

Methods

Direct observations of standard ED timestamps (arrival, bed placement, clinician evaluation, disposition decision, and exit from ED) were conducted in a suburban ED for 4 weeks immediately before and 4 weeks after EHR implementation. Direct observations were compared with electronic timestamps to assess data quality. Differences in proportions and medians with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the magnitude of effect.

Results

There were 260 observations: 122 before and 138 after implementation. We found that more systematic data errors were introduced after EHR implementation. The proportion of discrepancies where the observed and electronic timestamp differed by more than 10 minutes was reduced for the disposition timestamp (29.3% vs 16.1%; difference in proportions, − 13.2%; 95% CI, − 24.4% to − 1.9%). The accuracy of the clinician-evaluation timestamp was reduced after implementation (median difference of 3 minutes earlier than observed; 95% CI, − 5.02 to − 0.98). Multiple service intervals were less accurate after implementation.

Conclusion

This single-center study raises questions about operational data quality in the peri-implementation period of EHRs. Using electronic timestamps for operational assessment and decision making following implementation should recognize the magnitude and compounding of errors when computing service times.     

Reduction in Clinical Variance Using Targeted Design Changes in Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) Order Sets: Impact on Hospitalized Children with Acute Asthma Exacerbation

Objectives

Unwarranted variance in healthcare has been associated with prolonged length of stay, diminished health and increased cost. Practice variance in the management of asthma can be significant and few investigators have evaluated strategies to reduce this variance. We hypothesized that selective redesign of order sets using different ways to frame the order and physician decision-making in a computerized provider order entry system could increase adherence to evidence-based care and reduce population-specific variance.

Patients and Methods

The study focused on the use of an evidence-based asthma exacerbation order set in the electronic health record (EHR) before and after order set redesign. In the Baseline period, the EHR was queried for frequency of use of an asthma exacerbation order set and its individual orders. Important individual orders with suboptimal use were targeted for redesign. Data from a Post-Intervention period were then analyzed.

Results

In the Baseline period there were 245 patient visits in which the acute asthma exacerbation order set was selected. The utilization frequency of most orders in the order set during this period exceeded 90%. Three care items were targeted for intervention due to suboptimal utilization: admission weight, activity center use and peak flow measurements. In the Post-Intervention period there were 213 patient visits. Order set redesign using different default order content resulted in significant improvement in the utilization of orders for all 3 items: admission weight (79.2% to 94.8% utilization, p<0.001), activity center (84.1% to 95.3% utilization, p<0.001) and peak flow (18.8% to 55.9% utilization, p<0.001). Utilization of peak flow orders for children ≥8 years of age increased from 42.7% to 94.1% (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Details of order set design greatly influence clinician prescribing behavior. Queries of the EHR reveal variance associated with ordering frequencies. Targeting and changing order set design elements in a CPOE system results in improved selection of evidence-based care.     

Why are response rates in clinician surveys declining?

Objective

To understand why response rates in clinician surveys are declining.

Design

Cross-sectional fax-back survey.

Setting

British Columbia.

Participants

Random sample of family physicians and all gynecologists in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia’s registry.

Main outcome measures

Accuracy of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia’s registry, and the prevalence and characteristics of physicians with policies not to participate in any surveys.

Results

Of 542 physicians who received surveys, 76 (14.0%) responded. On follow-up we found the following: the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia’s registry was inaccurate for 94 (17.3%) listings; 14 (2.6%) physicians were away; 100 (18.5%) were not eligible; and 197 (36.3%) had an office policy not to participate in any surveys. Compared with the respondents, physicians with an office policy not to participate in any surveys were more likely to be men, less likely to be white, more likely to have urban-based practices, and more likely to have been in practice for more than 15 years.

Conclusion

Many physicians have an office policy not to participate in any surveys. Owing to the trend of lower response rates, recommendations of minimum response rates for clinician surveys by many journals might need to be reassessed.     

Primary care role in expanded newborn screening: After the heel prick test

Objective

To examine the role of primary care providers in informing and supporting families who receive positive screening results.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Ontario.

Participants

Family physicians, pediatricians, and midwives involved in newborn care.

Main outcome measures

Beliefs, practices, and barriers related to providing information to families who receive positive screening results for their newborns.

Results

A total of 819 providers participated (adjusted response rate of 60.9%). Of the respondents, 67.4% to 81.0% agreed that it was their responsibility to provide care to families of newborns who received positive screening results, and 64.2% to 84.8% agreed they should provide brochures or engage in general discussions about the identified conditions. Of the pediatricians, 67.3% endorsed having detailed discussions with families, but only 24.1% of family physicians and 27.6% of midwives endorsed this practice. All provider groups reported less involvement in information provision than they believed they should have. This discrepancy was most evident for family physicians: most stated that they should provide brochures (64.2%) or engage in general discussions (73.5%), but only a minority did so (15.3% and 27.7%, respectively). Family physicians reported insufficient time (42.2%), compensation (52.2%), and training (72.3%) to play this role, and only a minority agreed they were up to date (18.5%) or confident (16.5%) regarding newborn screening.

Conclusion

Providers of primary newborn care see an information-provision role for themselves in caring for families who receive positive newborn screening results. Efforts to further define the scope of this role combined with efforts to mitigate existing barriers are warranted.