What Do Hospital Workers Think About EHRs?

According to recent research authored by Westat staff, the way hospital workers view the safety of electronic health records (EHRs) varies based on their staff position and tenure. Perceptions of Hospital Electronic Health Record Training, Support, and Patient Safety by Staff Position and Tenure, recently published in BMC Health Services Research, included results from 44 hospitals and revealed several key findings:

• Physicians, managers, and information technology staff report inaccurate EHR information more frequently than registered nurses (RNs).
• Almost 1/3 of the physicians were dissatisfied with their hospital’s EHR systems. Managers and RNs also reported frequent levels of dissatisfaction with their hospital’s EHR systems, though to a lesser degree than physicians.
• Perceptions of training on EHR systems were lowest among physicians and pharmacists.
• More tenured staff, with 11 years or more of service, had less favorable opinions on how well their hospitals provide EHR system support and training.

Lead author Joanne Campione, PhD, noted that, “These findings can guide hospitals in their efforts to enhance communication and training about their EHR systems. This, in turn, can lead to improvements in how staff use EHR systems, fostering safer patient care.” Westat staff member Helen Liu co-authored the research.