Time and Clerical Burden Posed by the Current Electronic Health Record for Orthopaedic Surgeons
Abstract
Introduction The electronic health record (EHR) has become an integral part of modern medical practice. The balance of benefit versus burden of a required EHR remains inconclusive, with many studies identifying increasing physician burnout and less face-to-face patient contact because of increasing documentation demands. Few studies have investigated EHR burden in orthopaedic surgery practice. This study aimed to characterize and compare EHR usage patterns and time allocation within EHR between orthopaedic surgeons, other surgeons, and medicine physicians at an academic medical center. Methods EHR usage was digitally tracked within a large academic medical center. EHR usage data were compiled for all physicians seeing outpatients from April 2018 to June 2019. The tracking metrics included time spent answering messages, typing notes, reviewing laboratories and imaging, reading notes, and placing orders. Physicians were subdivided between orthopaedic surgeons, other surgeons, and nonsurgeon/medical specialties. Statistical comparisons using a two-sample t-test were done between orthopaedic surgeon EHR usage patterns and other surgeons, in addition to orthopaedic surgeons versus nonsurgeons. Results One thousand sixty physicians including 28 full-time orthopaedic surgeons, 134 other surgeons, and 898 nonsurgical medicine physicians met inclusion criteria. Orthopaedic surgeons saw on average 31 patients per office day compared with other surgeons at 18 patients per office day (P…
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- Authors
- Kesler, K., Wynn, M., & Pugely, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kesler, Kyle
- Venue
- Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Published
- 2021-09-30
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e34-e43
- ISSN
- 1067-151X (ISSN-L)
- 1940-5480
- OpenAlex
- W3202342061
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 1.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Electronic Health Records Systems
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Medical Coding and Health Information
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Emergency Medicine › Hospital Admissions and Outcomes
- Keywords
- electronic health records, orthopaedic surgeons, physician time allocation, note writing, physician burnout
- MeSH terms
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Burnout, Professional, Documentation, Humans, Electronic Health Records, Surgeons
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