If you're thinking about adopting an electronic health record system, new survey results from family physicians already using EHRs might be just what you need to take that final step.
A Family Practice Management survey sought input from FPs on their EHR systems. "An EHR User-Satisfaction Survey: Advice From 408 Family Physicians" in the October FPM reports on the survey. "The results constitute the kind of advice you would get if you could ask 408 colleagues how they feel about the EHR systems they use," say authors Robert Edsall, FPM editor-in-chief, and FP Kenneth Adler, M.D., in full-time practice in Tucson, Ariz.
Some highlights from the article:
- The survey covered functionality, overall ease of use and flexibility, ongoing service and support, cost, and overall satisfaction.
- The 408 FPs reported on 77 EHR systems. Of the 77 systems, 56 were used by no more than three respondents each. However, 11 of the 77 systems were used by nine or more respondents; together accounting for more than two-thirds of the total responses. The article reports satisfaction levels on those 11 systems.
- An appendix to the article includes the numbers of users of each of the 77 systems, plus other information.
- One of several charts in the article gives functionality rankings for the 11 systems. e-MDs (TopsChart) received the highest rating for overall functionality, scoring first in review of chart information, documentation of patient care, management of prescription writing, communications and remote access, and coding and charge capture. The next highest functionality ratings, in descending order, went to Centricity, eClinicalWorks and EpicCare.
- For overall ease of use, e-MDs got the highest rating, followed by SOAPware, Amazing Charts, Practice Partner and Centricity.
- The authors note "a finding that is encouraging for EHR use in general": 87 percent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, "If I could go back to paper-based records with no financial penalties, I would do so."
