Hard-to-Use EHRs Tied to Physician Burnout

By Amy Orciari Herman

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

Physicians who find their electronic health records (EHRs) difficult to use are more likely to report symptoms of burnout, according to a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Nearly 900 physicians answered a questionnaire about burnout and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS), a 10-item survey assessing how usable they found their EHR (see second link below). SUS scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores denoting better usability.

Overall, the mean SUS score was 45.9, which is considered "not acceptable." Additionally, nearly half the cohort reported at least one burnout symptom. SUS scores were associated with burnout in a dose-dependent manner. After multivariable adjustment, the odds of burnout were 3% lower with each 1-point increase in SUS score.

Dr. Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association, said in a statement: "The findings will not come as a surprise to anyone who practices medicine. ... It is a national imperative to overhaul the design and use of EHRs and reframe the technology to focus primarily on its most critical function — helping physicians care for their patients."