Usability of electronic health record systems needs improvements – physicians' experiences from 2010-21

Background The development of electronic health record systems (EHRs) has required financial and human resources from healthcare organizations, EHR vendors, as well as national authorities.

Methods Survey studies on physicians' experiences of EHRs were conducted in 2010, 2014, 2017, and 2021. This article reports the results of nine core statements.

Results Physicians' satisfaction with EHRs had only slightly improved during the years. Particularly technical quality was considered better in 2021 than before, however, the proportion of those satisfied with the summary views had decreased. One-third of respondents still had encountered situations with faulty system function possibly causing a serious adverse event for the patient. Compared to 2017, the EHR support for routine tasks and health information exchange were assessed better in 2021 than before, but the proportion of those satisfied remained low. The negative impact of the implementation of the Apotti system can be seen in the results of 2021.

Conclusions Although physicians' experiences had become somewhat more positive during 2010–2021, improvements are still needed in the usability of EHRs. Research-based monitoring of user experiences is important for providing a situational overview of health information systems and guiding development.

Johanna Viitanen, Jarmo Reponen, Tinja Lääveri, Peppiina Saastamoinen, Tarja Heponiemi, Tuulikki Vehko, Jukka Vänskä