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The Electronic Health Record

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The Art and Science of Physician Wellbeing

Abstract

There is good evidence that the experience of the electronic health record (EHR) is associated with a rising level of burnout and decreased professional satisfaction in physicians in the United States. With the proliferation of the EHR in physician practices and hospitals over the past 10 years, nearly all physicians have seen their usual methods of care disrupted, workflows changed, and balance of professional burdens shifted. Many factors contribute to this experience of EHRs, including the experience of undue clerical burden, loss in sense of autonomy, excessive time with computer interactions, fewer meaningful interactions, inadequate proficiency, and changing relationships with patients. Evidence is sparse for interventions that will specifically improve physician wellness. However, there is hope that the factors associated with a negative EHR experience can improve through technical evolution to improve the user experience, training of the physician workforce, advocacy to decrease clerical burden, and thoughtful utilization of team-based care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford Health Care, Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Christopher Sharp MD

  2. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford University School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Stanford, CA, USA

    Lindsay Stevens MD

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  1. Christopher Sharp MD
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  2. Lindsay Stevens MD
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Correspondence to Christopher Sharp MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Laura Weiss Roberts

  2. Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Mickey Trockel

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Sharp, C., Stevens, L. (2019). The Electronic Health Record. In: Weiss Roberts, L., Trockel, M. (eds) The Art and Science of Physician Wellbeing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42135-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42135-3_6

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