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Deciphering the physician note

E A Kozak1, R S Dittus, W R Smith

  • 1Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.

Journal of General Internal Medicine
|January 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Physician handwriting is effective for communication, though handwritten notes take longer to read than typed ones. This study found legibility concerns are often overstated, with physicians effectively conveying information on paper.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Informatics
  • Clinical Communication
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Limited objective data exists on the legibility and comprehension of physician handwriting in clinical settings.
  • Concerns about illegible physician notes potentially impacting patient care and workflow efficiency are prevalent.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To objectively compare the legibility and comprehension of handwritten physician notes versus their typed counterparts in general medicine.
  • To assess the impact of handwriting legibility on the time required for reading and answering comprehension questions.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective chart review was conducted comparing handwritten general medicine clinic notes from internal medicine faculty and housestaff with typed versions.
  • Reading time and time to answer comprehension questions were measured for both handwritten and typed notes.

Related Experiment Videos

  • A comprehension measure specifically developed for ambulatory clinic notes was utilized.

    • Main Results:

    • Handwritten notes required an average of 11 seconds (46%) longer to read compared to typed notes.
    • Answering comprehension questions for handwritten notes took 5 seconds (11%) longer than for typed notes.
    • The authors' comprehension measure showed only a slight advantage for typed notes, indicating effective communication in both formats.

    Conclusions:

    • Physician handwriting legibility is not as problematic as commonly assumed.
    • Physicians can effectively communicate clinical information through handwritten notes, despite minor increases in reading and comprehension time.
    • Interventions to eliminate handwritten notes may not be necessary solely based on legibility concerns.