Improving patient-centered communication while using an electronic health record: Report from a curriculum evaluation

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Health Communication
• Medical Education

Background:

• Concerns exist regarding electronic health record (EHR) use and its impact on patient-centered communication.
• Effective communication skills training is crucial for clinicians navigating EHRs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a patient-centered communication skills training workshop on clinician behavior when using EHRs.
• To evaluate changes in self-reported communication behaviors post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• An interactive workshop was developed, incorporating challenges of EHR use, patient-centered behaviors, and mindful practice techniques.
• 139 resident physicians and faculty supervisors participated in the training.
• Paired t-tests were used to analyze pre- and post-intervention survey data on self-reported behaviors.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase was observed in the behavior "I told the patient when turning my attention from the patient to the computer" (60% to 70%).
• Data from 39 participants who completed both assessments showed this improvement.
• The study was limited by sample size in detecting other potential behavioral changes.

Conclusions:

• The training demonstrated improvement in at least one key patient-centered communication behavior during EHR use.
• Further research is needed to explore effective training strategies for maintaining patient-centeredness with EHR integration.
• Enhancing clinician communication skills while using EHRs remains an important area for medical education.