Physician Stress: Is the Electronic Health Record to Blame?

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential relationship between Family Medicine physician burnout and the electronic health record. To do so, this study utilized the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory to assess burnout among physicians, along with specific questions regarding usage of the electronic health record and measurement of physician perceptions of the electronic health record. Members of the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians were sent two separate invitations to participate in the study twice over a one-month period via email. The study yielded no significant differences in Family Medicine physician demographics and their degree of burnout, or the satisfaction of the electronic health record and Family Medicine physician demographics. This study, however, identified some common themes. Most specifically, Family Medicine physicians experience a very high degree of work-related burnout. Further, there is a very close relationship between work-related burnout experienced by the Family Medicine physicians studied in this survey and the electronic health record, as nearly all the components and attitudes measured toward the electronic health record significantly correlated with work-related burnout as measured by the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. The findings of this research have implications for healthcare administrators. Healthcare leaders, regardless of their role, must be attuned to the issues surrounding physician burnout. Not only should these leaders be aware of physician burnout, but also, they should be cognizant of possible ways to mitigate the stresses physicians experience as a result of their work. Possible avenues to mitigate burnout in Family Medicine physicians include utilizing scribes for electronic health record documentation and management, utilizing a team approach to patient care with the clinic staff, and other various interventions. More research, however is needed to identify additional pathways to mitigate physician burnout