Table 2.
Themes and subthemes describing how use of EMR improved the (a) ease and (b) time efficiency of personal cognitive performance
| % Mentioning theme | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Both hospitals | Hospital 1 | Hospital 2 | |
| (a) IMPROVED EASE OF PERSONAL COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE | |||
| Improved ease of accessing information | 65% | 55% | 78% |
| Easy access to much patient medical history | |||
| Easy access to medical references | |||
| Easy to find information | |||
| Can arrange information in the desired format; collation of information puts important information together; sorting features reduce clutter; using alphabetize patient list function makes it easier to find patients; easy to find information with electronic problem list | |||
| Can access information not previously available | |||
| Navigation easy because information is all in one place | |||
| Can access information from multiple settings, remotely | 70% | 64% | 78% |
| Can access information from anywhere within the hospital | |||
| Can access outpatient information from anywhere (e.g., hospital) | |||
| Can check patient information when not at the hospital | |||
| Can access information immediately | 60% | 55% | 67% |
| Can access information without searching for paper chart | |||
| Can access much information all at once | 45% | 36% | 56% |
| Patients for the day can be put together | |||
| Accessed information is more legible | 45% | 27% | 67% |
| Colleagues' electronic outpatient clinical notes are more legible | |||
| Can access information concurrently with others | 15% | 18% | 11% |
| Improved ease of documentation | 5% | 0% | 11% |
| (b) IMPROVED TIME EFFICIENCY OF COGNITIVE PERSONAL PERFORMANCE | |||
| Saves time accessing information | 50% | 36% | 67% |
| Saves time obtaining test results | |||
| Saves time accessing others' notes because not waiting for dictation transcription | |||
| Saves time not searching for paper chart | |||
| Saves time not waiting for a nurse to look up information for physician | |||
| Saves time that would have been spent reading poor handwriting | |||
| Saves time entering orders and documentation | 30% | 18% | 44% |
| Electronic order entry allows fast ordering of medications, especially remotely | |||
| Copy and paste feature allows notes to be written quickly | |||
| Medication orders are processed faster | |||
| Orders are clearer, reducing processing time | |||
| Other ways that time is saved | 10% | 18% | 0% |
| EMR returns to prior state upon log-on, preventing having to start over | |||
| Knowing partners' schedules saves time rounding on patients | |||