Provider Perspective on Being Recorded During Emergency Medicine Discharge Conversations.

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Patient Communication
• Healthcare Provider Perspectives

Background:

• Provider-recorded visit summaries offer potential patient benefits but are not standard care.
• Limited research exists on healthcare providers' views regarding recording patient encounters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate emergency department (ED) providers' perspectives on using audio or video recordings during patient encounters.
• To specifically assess provider opinions on recording discharge conversations.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was administered to 57 emergency medicine providers (nurses, advanced practitioners, residents, physicians) in Ohio.
• The survey included eight questions to gather opinions on recording patient encounters and discharge information.

Main Results:

• Only 35% of providers believed patients have the right to record medical conversations.
• 63% cited potential legal liability as a reason for hesitation.
• 43.9% stated that audio or video recordings should not be provided at discharge.

Conclusions:

• ED providers surveyed expressed discomfort with being recorded during patient encounters, including discharge instructions.
• Hesitancy stems from concerns about legal retaliation and HIPAA violations.
• Additional research is required to establish recordings as standard ED care.