User Friendly Recording Of Data Often Seems Like An EHR Afterthought

As I began logging on to my third different hospital EHR (electronic health record) recently, I contemplated how much more of this I could take. Being less than a year from planned retirement, the nuances of learning a new EHR and CPOE (computerized physician order entry) system is not fun. Furthermore, every hour I spend learning a new and unique system is another hour less devoted to patient care, and more to machines, not to mention the sapping of mental energy. I will grant that some of this is generational. My younger partners seem to pick this stuff up quicker than I do. Yet, even they express frustration with the inconsistencies and variability of dealing with different programs.

First you should know I do not have technology phobia. Actually I embrace it. Our cardiology practice has had an EHR since 2004. Furthermore I own an iPhone, iPad, and am active in social media, so I have chosen to be computer savvy. Yet, there are certain things about hospital EHR systems that I find predictably annoying. [...]