Electronic Health Record System Support for Physician-Patient Communication: National Cross-Sectional Survey on...

The impact of digital patient engagement platforms (DPEPs) on interactions between physicians and patients has been widely studied from patients' perspectives. However, research into physicians' viewpoints remains scarce. This study aimed to identify electronic health record (EHR) characteristics that support physician-patient collaboration from the perspective of physicians working in outpatient care. A national cross-sectional survey of physicians' experiences with EHRs was conducted in Finland in 2021 where EHR coverage had reached 100% already in 2010. We selected the responses of 1983 physicians working in public sector outpatient clinics (primary and specialized care). Linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between eight EHR characteristics and perceived support for physician-patient collaboration and information exchange. Of these, rapid system responsiveness, ease of utilizing patient-provided data, support for adherence to treatment recommendations, assistance in preventing medication errors, and comprehensive and reliable patient data were found to be associated with support. The model accounted for 27% of the variance in the dependent variable. In addition to enhancing care outcomes, clinical decision support and easy access to patient data can aid physicians in interactions with patients. Further investigations should continue to analyze how these identified features could better support collaboration with patients - beyond DPEPs and visible interactions during appointments. Considering the rapid evolution of DPEPs, future studies should also take into account the depth of the DPEP-EHR integration.