Rethinking EHRs: Addressing Burnout Beyond Technology's Role in Healthcare
Forbes
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are frequently criticized for causing challenges in healthcare, but this view simplifies the broader systemic issues. Clinicians spend substantial time—averaging nearly six hours for every eight hours of patient care—interacting with EHRs, leading to frustration and burnout. While EHRs can enhance productivity, their effectiveness is contingent on proper implementation and organizational culture, wrote Spencer Dorn, MD, vice chair and professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina. Moreover, the increasing complexity of patient care and the administrative demands of the U.S. healthcare system further complicate the challenges clinicians encounter.