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. 2024 Jan-Feb;22(1):12-18.
doi: 10.1370/afm.3047.

More Tethered to the EHR: EHR Workload Trends Among Academic Primary Care Physicians, 2019-2023

Brian G Arndt  1 , Mark A Micek  2 , Adam Rule  3 , Christina M Shafer  2   4 , Jeffrey J Baltus  5 , Christine A Sinsky  6
Affiliations

More Tethered to the EHR: EHR Workload Trends Among Academic Primary Care Physicians, 2019-2023

Brian G Arndt et al. Ann Fam Med. 2024 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate recent trends in primary care physician (PCP) electronic health record (EHR) workload.

Methods: This longitudinal study observed the EHR use of 141 academic PCPs over 4 years (May 2019 to March 2023). Ambulatory full-time equivalency (aFTE), visit volume, and panel size were evaluated. Electronic health record time and inbox message volume were measured per 8 hours of scheduled clinic appointments.

Results: From the pre-COVID-19 pandemic year (May 2019 to February 2020) to the most recent study year (April 2022 to March 2023), the average time PCPs spent in the EHR per 8 hours of scheduled clinic appointments increased (+28.4 minutes, 7.8%), as did time in orders (+23.1 minutes, 58.9%), inbox (+14.0 minutes, 24.4%), chart review (+7.2 minutes, 13.0%), notes (+2.9 minutes, 2.3%), outside scheduled hours on days with scheduled appointments (+6.4 minutes, 8.2%), and on unscheduled days (+13.6 minutes, 19.9%). Primary care physicians received more patient medical advice requests (+5.4 messages, 55.5%) and prescription messages (+2.3, 19.5%) per 8 hours of scheduled clinic appointments, but fewer patient calls (-2.8, -10.5%) and results messages (-0.3, -2.7%). While total time in the EHR continued to increase in the final study year (+7.7 minutes, 2.0%), inbox time decreased slightly from the year prior (-2.2 minutes, -3.0%). Primary care physicians' average aFTE decreased 5.2% from 0.66 to 0.63 over 4 years.

Conclusions: Primary care physicians' time in the EHR continues to grow. While PCPs' inbox time may be stabilizing, it is still substantially higher than pre-pandemic levels. It is imperative health systems develop strategies to change the EHR workload trajectory to minimize PCPs' occupational stress and mitigate unnecessary reductions in effective physician workforce resulting from the increased EHR burden.

Keywords: burnout; electronic health records (EHR); patient portal; practice of primary care; workload.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Primary care physicians’ average workload by year. aFTE = ambulatory FTE; FTE = full-time equivalency. Note: Grey band represents 95% confidence interval.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Primary care physicians’ average time in the EHR by year. EHR = electronic health record; TOSH = time outside scheduled hours on days with scheduled appointments; TUSD = time on unscheduled days. Note: Time in notes, inbox, orders, clinical review, outside scheduled hours on days with appointments, and on unscheduled days are included in total EHR time. Grey band represents 95% confidence interval.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Primary care physicians’ average volume of select inbox message types received by year. eConsult = electronic consult. Note: Grey band represents 95% confidence interval.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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