The good, the bad and the early adopters: providers' attitudes about a common, commercial EHR

Rationale, aims and objectives To describe primary care providers' ( PCP ) attitudes about the impact of a mature, commercial electronic health records ( EHR ) on clinical practice in settings with experience using the system and to evaluate whether a provider's propensity to adopt new technologies is associated with more favourable perceptions. Method We surveyed PCP s in 11 practices affiliated with three health systems in T exas. Most practices had greater than 5 years of experience with the E pic EHR . The effect of early adopter of technology status was evaluated using logistic regression. Results One hundred forty‐six PCP s responded (70%). Most thought the EHR had a positive impact on routine tasks, such as prescription refills (94%), whereas fewer agreed for complex tasks, such as delivery of guideline‐concordant care for chronic illnesses (51%). Two‐thirds (62%) thought it interfered with eye contact with patients, and 40% reported that it interfered with in‐visit communication. Early adopters of technology reported greater positive effects of the EHR , even after adjusting for age, ranging from 2% to 15% higher on satisfaction ratings. Conclusion PCP s practicing in settings with considerable experience using a common commercial EHR identified many positive effects, as well as two key areas for improvement – patient centredness and intelligent decision support. Providers with a propensity to adopt new technologies have more favourable perceptions of the EHR .