Provider Burnout as it relates to the Electronic Health Record and Clinical Workflow

Abstract

Provider burnout has reached epidemic levels, especially with primary care-oriented specialties such as Family Medicine. Guided by a sociotechnical systems perspective, we investigated contributing burnout factors that relate to the electronic health record (EHR) and clinical workflow in an academic healthcare institution. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 family medicine and geriatrics providers and administered EHR usability and workflow integration surveys. Findings are organized around recurrent, overarching themes: (1) Clinic Workflow, (2) Documentation, (3) EHR Workflow and Usability, (4) Patient Complexity, (5) Staffing, and (6) Technical Issues. The most consistent finding across all provider interviews was poor EHR usability as a contributing factor to burnout; especially the number of clicks needed to complete EHR tasks. This finding is supported by low usability and workflow integration survey ratings. Using a sociotechnical systems framework, we demonstrate social, technological, and environmental contributors to burnout and discuss potential interventions to mitigate these contributing factors.