Gender differences in surgeon electronic health record utilization
Megan L Anderson1, Annika N Hiredesai1, Danielle A Thornburg2
1Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, 13400 East Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ, 85259, United States of America.
American Journal of Surgery
|February 20, 2026
Summary
Female surgeons spend significantly more time in the electronic health record (EHR) than male surgeons, indicating potential gender disparities in EHR usage and workload. Further research is needed to understand these differences.
Area of Science:
- Medical informatics
- Surgical practice
- Physician well-being
Background:
- Physician burnout is increasing, with electronic health record (EHR) use a significant contributing factor.
- Female physicians generally spend more time in EHR systems than males.
- Existing research has not clarified if these EHR usage patterns apply to surgeons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze and compare the electronic health record (EHR) usage patterns between male and female surgeons.
- To identify potential gender-based differences in time spent within the EHR system.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study of attending surgeons across all specialties from May 2022 to May 2023.
- Analysis of EHR metrics including time in system, notes, orders, clinical review, in-basket messages, and after-hours work.
- Multivariable linear regression controlled for practice characteristics to assess gender differences.
Main Results:
- The study included 593 attending surgeons (73% male).
- Female surgeons spent 35% more time in the EHR compared to male surgeons (p < 0.001).
- Female surgeons received more messages and spent more time working outside scheduled hours (p ≤ 0.031).
Conclusions:
- Significant gender-based differences exist in EHR usage and message volume among surgeons.
- These findings highlight potential disparities in workload and system interaction for female surgeons.
- Further investigation is warranted to explore the underlying causes of these observed differences.
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