A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has revealed that only a quarter of family physicians report being highly satisfied with their electronic health record (EHR) systems. The research, led by A. Jay Holmgren, Ph.D., from the University of California, San Francisco, sheds light on the ongoing challenges physicians face with EHR usability and its impact on their job satisfaction and burnout levels.

The study analyzed survey responses from 2,067 family physicians who were seeking recertification from the American Board of Family Medicine in 2022. The findings indicate that only 27.2 percent of respondents were very satisfied with their EHRs, while a larger percentage—37.5 percent—reported being somewhat satisfied. However, a notable proportion of physicians expressed dissatisfaction: 16.7 percent were somewhat dissatisfied, and 9.6 percent were very dissatisfied with their EHR systems.

Usability scores varied across different EHR features. The highest ratings were for the readability of information, with 26.3 percent of respondents deeming it excellent. In contrast, the usefulness of alerts received the lowest usability score, with only 12.7 percent of physicians rating it as excellent. The study found that good or excellent usability in areas such as data entry, alignment with workflow processes, ease of finding information, and the usefulness of alerts were positively associated with higher EHR satisfaction. Notably, physicians who were very satisfied with their EHRs reported a reduced frequency of burnout (β = −0.64).

The study's authors emphasized the concerning correlation between EHR dissatisfaction and burnout, noting, "One-fourth reported being somewhat or very dissatisfied, a concerning finding amplified by the inverse association between EHR satisfaction and burnout."

This study underscores the need for improvements in EHR usability to enhance physician satisfaction and mitigate burnout, which remains a critical issue in the healthcare industry. The findings suggest that optimizing EHR systems to better align with clinical workflows and enhance ease of use could significantly improve physician well-being and job satisfaction.