Refining Vendor-Defined Measures to Accurately Quantify EHR Workload Outside Time Scheduled With Patients

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Occupational Health
• Clinical Workflow Analysis

Background:

• Accurate quantification of clinician time on electronic health records (EHR) outside scheduled patient encounters is crucial for assessing occupational stress in ambulatory settings.
• Understanding "work outside of work" (WOW) is essential for addressing clinician burnout and improving healthcare environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose recommendations for improved measurement of EHR workload, specifically focusing on time spent on EHR activities outside of scheduled patient appointments.
• To advocate for standardized and objective measures of WOW to inform burnout reduction strategies, policy development, and research.

Main Methods:

• The study focuses on conceptualizing and recommending specific metrics for measuring EHR time.
• Recommendations are based on the need to differentiate between EHR use during and outside patient encounters.
• Emphasis is placed on including all time before and after scheduled patient interactions.

Main Results:

• Three key recommendations are made for EHR workload measurement.
• Recommendation 1: Separate EHR time during patient visits from EHR time outside patient visits (WOW).
• Recommendation 2: Include all time, irrespective of when it occurs (before/after patient time), in WOW measurement.
• Recommendation 3: Promote the development of standardized, vendor-agnostic methods for measuring active EHR use.

Conclusions:

• Standardized measurement of WOW is critical for objective assessment of clinician workload and occupational stress.
• Implementing these recommendations can lead to more effective strategies for reducing clinician burnout.
• Developing validated, vendor-agnostic tools for measuring active EHR use is a priority for the research and EHR vendor communities.