In a recent national survey by the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), 77.42% of respondents reported finishing work later than desired or needing to work from home due to excessive EHR documentation tasks.
The first AMIA TrendBurden Survey, Part of an effort to capture perceptions of EHR documentation burden through semiannual assessments, it was conducted April 10-30, 2024, and received 1,253 responses from healthcare professionals in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Respondents included 35.67% physicians/surgeons, 24.72% registered nurses, 13.65% other professionals, 8.38% educators, and 5.83% licensed social workers.
These professionals worked in various settings: 31.76% in outpatient clinics, 30.17% in hospital/hospital settings, 21.47% in academic medical centers, 21.15% in community organizations, and 9.58% in telemedicine/telehealth .
Key findings from the survey, part of the AMIA 25×5 Initiative, reveal significant concerns regarding documentation time and effort and highlight the significant negative impact that excessive documentation burden has on work-life integration among employees. healthcare professionals. “The time and effort required for documentation by healthcare professionals is severely impacting their work-life integration,” Vicky Tiase, Ph.D., RN-BC, said in a statement. “Addressing this issue is essential to supporting the well-being of our physicians and ensuring they can continue to provide high-quality patient care.”
When asked about recent changes in documentation burden, the majority of respondents (66.64%) disagreed that there had been a recent decrease in the time or effort required to complete documentation tasks, and physicians (74.2%) reported this more than nurses (60.8%). The perceived impact of documentation on patient care is notable: 74.38% of respondents agreed that the time required for documentation impedes patient care.
Most respondents noted that the EHR is difficult to use. Only 31.76% of all respondents (21.9% doctors, 38% nurses) agree or strongly agree that documenting patient care using electronic medical records is easy. In reaction to the ease of use of the EHR, only 31.76% of all respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they found it easy to use, including 21.9% of physicians and 38% of the nurses. Furthermore, 23.62% of those surveyed were neutral, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, with 21.3% of doctors and 23.5% of nurses being in this category. A significant 44.61% disagreed or strongly disagreed, indicating difficulties with the usability of the system, and 56.9% of doctors and 38.5% of nurses expressed dissatisfaction.
“TrendBurden’s results illuminate the widespread challenge of excessive documentation burden facing healthcare professionals across the country,” said Sarah Rossetti, R.N., Ph.D., chair of the AMIA 25×5 Working Group, in a statement . “These results emphasize the urgent need for viable solutions to alleviate this pressure on healthcare professionals, prioritizing both high-quality patient care and the well-being of those who provide it.”
The TrendBurden survey will be administered again in early fall 2024, with the goal of further expanding its reach in the healthcare professional community.
