Multi-Method Study of Electronic Health Records Workflows

EHRs transform work practices in ways that enhance or impede the quality of care. There is a need for in-depth analysis of EHR workflows, particularly in complex clinical environments. We investigated EHR-basedpre-operative workflows by combining findings from 18 interviews, 7 days of observations, and process mining of EHR interactions from 31 personnel caring for 375 patients at one tertiary referral center. We provided high-definition descriptions of workflows and personnel roles. One third (32.2%) of the time with each patient was spent interacting with the EHR and 4.2% using paper-based artifacts. We also mined personnel social networks validating observed personnel's EHR-interactions. When comparing workflows between two similar pre-operative settings at different hospitals, we found significant differences in physical organization, patient workflow, roles, use of EHR, social networks and time efficiency. This study informs Mayo Clinic's enterprise-wide conversion to a single EHR and will guide before and after workflow comparisons.