An ethnographic study: The impact of electronic medical records on primary care physicians in Hawaii

This ethnographic qualitative study explored the impact of electronic medical record systems on primary care physicians in Hawaii. The perspectives of 22 primary care physicians from one of the largest healthcare organizations in Hawaii were studied. Organization X selected Vendor123 as their electronic medical record of choice. An electronic medical record (EMR) is a computerized medical health record. The research questions investigated the operational and behavioral impacts of EMRs on primary care physicians as well as the positive and negative effects on physicians and patients. Additionally how the impacts relate to patient care and why the impacts are important were explored. QSR NVivo 8, qualitative software, identified four major themes; benefits, barriers, advantages, and disadvantages, and three sub-themes; organizational, physician, and patient impact and implications. It was discovered that EMRs impact the efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, performance, and physicality of primary care physicians both positively and negatively. Leadership awareness and support to address and improve the effects of EMRs is necessary