Clinic notes should be re-engineered to meet needs of physicians
When physicians prepare for patient visits, one of their first steps is to review clinic notes or health records that recap their patients’ medical history. Since the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, approximately 78 percent of office-based physicians have adopted electronic health records (EHR). However, previous research found only 38 percent of physicians were highly satisfied with the system, and many believe the way a patient’s health information is displayed in EHRs reduces the efficiency and productivity of patient care. Now, in a new study, researchers say it is time to redesign EHR documentation tools to better meet the needs of physicians in order to deliver the best care to patients.