Patients Prefer Electronic Documentation

Software Advice recently published this survey: Do Patients Really Care if You Use Your EHR in the Exam Room? It was very revealing! It turns out contrary to the perception that the intrusion of EMR’s in the office patients prefer electronic documentation to alternatives

Most Patients Don’t Mind Electronic Note-Taking During Exams

In each case, more than 80 percent of respondents indicated they would not be bothered. On a sliding scale, patients indicated the least concern for doctors using tablets during the exam.

What was more surprising was the push back by patients on having scribes

But worst of all - recording devices

Ultimately, over one-third of patients said they’d be bothered by doctors using tape recorders to assist in charting medical notes. Specifically, patients at the furthest end of the spectrum—those who chose “would bother me a lot”—were more prevalent when it came to tape recordings than with any other method of charting during an exam.

There was a big preference to Electronic documentation at the point of care

They asked about reasons for dissatisfaction

Its not the technology that causes the dissatisfaction but in order of importance (for patients)

• long wait times at the doctor’s office,
• unfriendly staff
• short duration of visits with the doctor
• Trouble Scheduling Appointment

And coming in with a sliver of dissatisfaction at 5% “Doctor using a Computer in the exam room"