Physicians Air EHR Frustrations

The physicians' words read like a horror story.

• "The promise that the EHR will reduce workload and improve error rates in patient care has not materialized."
• "Changing to this EHR has decreased productivity and markedly increased time to complete documentation."
• "The workflow is horrible! 'Task' has become a four letter word."

Clearly, some docs are having trouble with meaningful use. Indeed, as William S Underwood, senior associate at the American College of Physicians, noted in an education session Tuesday at HIMSS13, there's been a 15 percent increase in reports that practices are "very dissatisfied" with their EHRs since 2010. That's not something that should be ignored. "It's very important to think about, as far as policy implications and strategies as we move forward with meaningful use," said Underwood.

In their session, "Challenges with Meaningful Use: EHR Satisfaction & Usability Diminishing," Underwood and Alan Brookstone, MD, chief executive officer of Vancouver, B.C.-based Cientis Technologies, took a look at the hurdles and headaches of physicians and specialists as they try to meet meaningful use, drawing on the results of a survey that polled thousands of clinicians over three years. The numbers are almost as scary as the anecdotes...