Introduction of computerized medical records. A survey of primary physicians

The purpose of the study was to survey primary physicians about the possible impact of computerized medical records on clinical practice.

236 primary care physicians from the Negev health district in Israel, attending a course prior to installation of computerized record keeping, were given two open-ended questions together with a twenty-four statement attitude questionnaire using a five point Likert scale.

The beliefs of physicians highlighted the potential that computerized charts can help with office work, prevent loss of information, and facilitate communication between medical staff. On the other hand, the survey indicated that physicians felt its application was not universal and were uncomfortable with the fact that its use is mandatory. There were major concerns relating to how the medical record was displayed, anticipated increase in workload, and presumed extra time needed for data entry.

Most of the physicians surveyed were positive regarding the help that computerized medical records could provide. They were, nevertheless, concerned with the burden of change and adaptation of new technology and software design to clinical practice and its affect on communication.