If Documentation Is Costing You Time with Patients (and Money), You’re Not Alone

This will fall short of being a news flash, but physicians believe they spend too much time on documenting the care they provide during their time with patients. What is new (and possibly maddening), however, are data on time spent documenting outside of office hours and just how many physicians are dissatisfied with their EHR system. According to a new article in The Journal of the American Association, 35% of primary care physicians spend at least 2 hours on documentation outside of their shifts, with 8% spending 4 hours or more. Small wonder, then, that only 41% think the time they spend on documentation is “appropriate.” It’s not just the volume of work that makes it take so long, either; 34% labeled their EHR’s ease of uses as “difficult,” and 24% said overall they are dissatisfied with their EHR. Most thought time spent documenting comes at the expense of spending time with patients. The data serve as a reminder that the choice of any technology or service has direct implications on provider satisfaction and quality of care. Evaluate whether your EHR and other systems support your overall mission to provide efficient, quality care and to be the employer of choice for top talent in your area.