When electronic health records (EHRs) were first conceived in the 1960s, they were expected to transform healthcare delivery; to say they have fallen short is an understatement. One recent analysis concluded that “early expectations for EHRs have not been realized”, but more alarmingly, they have actively contributed to a crisis in physicians’ mental health.
This article explores how inefficient EHRs lead to physician burnout – and what providers can do to combat the problem.
Physician burnout is a serious problem for the healthcare industry. One-third of physicians experiences burnout any given time, leading to:
Some of this undoubtedly a by-product of long shifts in a high-stress environment. But those factors are heavily exacerbated by a growing reliance on EHRs that are often difficult to use, missing key information, and pull physicians’ focus away from actual patient care.
Research from Oxford University finds higher EHR stress directly correlates with higher burnout rates, while other surveys have found that 63% of physicians say poor EHR integrations interference with work-life balance; half feel too much time is spent on EHR use at home; and the odds of burnout for those physicians expressing moderately high to excessive home EHR time are nearly 2x higher than those reporting minimal home EHR time.
Ultimately, nearly 75% of physicians directly blame their burnout on EHR-related issues – and 59% of believe EHRs need a complete overhaul. But it’s important to remember that EHRs do still hold the potential to improve communication and empower physicians; we simply need to understand what is going wrong with them.
Our experience finds that EHR burnout is driven by three core factors:
Fortunately, most of these issues can be solved with the right technology.
A truly effective EHR system would be integrated with a wide range of other tools that empower physicians – and make their job easier. There are two ways this can manifest:
A well-integrated EHR system consolidates patient data across multiple sources, giving physicians a more complete and real-time view of a patient’s medical history, medications, and test results. Instead of sifting through disparate systems or chasing down missing records, physicians can quickly find the information they need to make informed decisions.
This reduces time spent on EHRs (as well as reducing time spent on EHRs at home) and empowers physicians to do what they love – deliver effective patient care.
When EHRs work seamlessly within existing workflows, physicians spend less time on redundant tasks like data entry and manual charting. Advanced automation can also flag potential risks, suggest relevant clinical decisions, and streamline documentation—allowing providers to focus more on patient care rather than administrative burdens.
With fewer interruptions and smoother processes, EHR integration plays a direct role in reducing stress and cognitive overload among physicians.
So, a more connected and effective EHR system can combat burnout and empower physicians. But that raises the question: why aren’t more systems like that?
Every healthcare organization wants to make EHRs effective and usable; they simply run into a series of persistent challenges:
Healthcare providers often rely on multiple, disconnected systems that do not communicate effectively. This fragmentation forces physicians to navigate various platforms to gather patient information, increasing their workload and frustration.
True EHR integration requires interoperability—ensuring that different systems can exchange and interpret data seamlessly. Yet this is notoriously difficult and most organizations still have a long way to go, despite recent legislation designed to promote interoperability.
Healthcare organizations must adhere to strict regulations, such as HIPAA, to protect patient data. While compliance is essential, it can also slow down integration efforts, as providers fear potential breaches and legal repercussions.
A well-integrated EHR system must balance security with accessibility, ensuring that patient data remains protected while enabling efficient workflows. Third-party vendors are already the single largest cybersecurity risk for healthcare companies; how will adding new vendors impact their organizational safety?
Many healthcare organizations are still using outdated IT infrastructures; worse still, replacing software or devices often faces due diligence, security, budgetary, and cultural resistance. But these legacy systems lack the flexibility needed to integrate with newer technologies – and ultimately mean poor or outdated EHR systems remain in place.
HCC Assistant is purpose-built to make life easier for your physicians, saving them hours every week and helping take some of the pressure off their backs. The tool integrates automated HCC coding recommendations directly within the EHR, helping providers transform their existing system – and make them serve physicians, rather than frustrating them.
Want to explore how it could help your organization combat burnout?
