SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Hospitalist Surveys Enhancing Health Information Technology Workflow Optimization Year 2

Pdf Summary

This project examined frustrations with health information technology (HIT) workflows among hospitalists across a 30-hospital network, with the goal of identifying specific electronic health record (EHR) pain points linked to burnout. Because these issues are difficult to capture retrospectively and may vary across clinicians and over time, the team developed a real-time, user-friendly survey approach.<br /><br />In 2022, 10 hospitalists from a large academic medical center received daily text message prompts over two weeks to report workflow inefficiencies. This process identified 38 distinct issues. In Fall 2022, these issues were then ranked by hospitalists across the broader 30-hospital network using a Likert scale. The same two-step process was repeated in 2023. In the first survey of Year 2, 22 additional issues were identified, expanding the total to 60.<br /><br />Results showed that most of the top 10 issues improved in Year 2 compared with Year 1, with the exception of “Takes a long time to badge into computers.” Improvements in items such as “Nicotine alert,” “Atrial fibrillation advisor,” and “Continue in observation alert” suggested that some concerns had been addressed. However, persistent high-ranking problems remained, especially “Sepsis alert not providing meaningful reasons” and “Difficult to determine...how much blood,” indicating ongoing sources of frustration and potential physician burnout.<br /><br />Overall, the survey process was effective in surfacing meaningful HIT workflow issues and facilitating discussion with hospital leadership and informatics teams. The authors conclude that simply acknowledging these concerns may reduce frustration, and that continued IT investment and prioritization are justified to address persistent EHR-related workflow burdens.

Asset Subtitle

Leigh Anne Goodman

Meta Tag

Author List Leigh Anne Goodman, Pamela Garcia-Filion, Venkata Buddhavarapu

Category Innovations

Concept HIT/EHR Workflow

Concept Workflow Frustration

Concept EHR Workflow Inefficiency

Concept Issue Identification

Concept Prioritization

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix

Presenting Author Leigh Anne Goodman

Track Technology in Hospital Medicine

Keywords

health information technology

electronic health record

hospitalist burnout

workflow inefficiencies

EHR pain points

real-time survey

text message prompts

clinical alerts

physician frustration

informatics teams

HIT/EHR Workflow

Workflow Frustration

EHR Workflow Inefficiency

Issue Identification

Prioritization