Variability in Electronic Health Record Use for Medication Management in Primary Care (Preprint)
UNSTRUCTURED Background: Traditional medication management complexity now combined with EHR systems, which are still novel in primary care settings, propose new challenges in trying to improve physician workflow. Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand how workflow variability in medication management using an electronic health record (EHR) system is related to patient and physician factors. Methods: Two different patient cases (chronic vs. acute condition) were presented to participants in a controlled environment. A task action coding scheme was used to analyze the videotaped data from the physician’s EHR usage. A usability survey was administered after the task. Results: High variability in the medication review process and EHR perceptions were revealed. Patient conditions and physicians’ EHR perceptions were related to the found variability in the workflow. Conclusions: Interventions designed to improve EHR medication management in primary care should consider alignment with physician’s varied workflow linked with their perceptions and differing patient condition.