Measuring success: perspectives from three optimization programs on assessing impact in the age of burnout

• Published in: JAMIA open Vol. 3; no. 4; pp. 492 - 495
• Main Authors: Lourie, Eli M, Stevens, Lindsay A, Webber, Emily C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 01-12-2020
• Subjects: Burn out (Psychology); Electronic records; Medical informatics; Medical records; California; electronic health record (EHR); efficiency; burnout; optimization
• ISSN: 2574-2531; 2574-2531
• DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooaa056

Electronic health record (EHR) optimization has been identified as a best practice to reduce burnout and improve user satisfaction; however, measuring success can be challenging. The goal of this manuscript is to describe the limitations of measuring optimizations and opportunities to combine assessments for a more comprehensive evaluation of optimization outcomes. The authors review lessons from 3 U.S. healthcare institutions that presented their experiences and recommendations at the American Medical Informatics Association 2020 Clinical Informatics conference, describing uses and limitations of vendor time-based reports and surveys utilized in optimization programs. Compiling optimization outcomes supports a multi-faceted approach that can produce assessments even as time-based reports and technology change. The authors recommend that objective measures of optimization must be combined with provider and clinician-defined value to provide long term improvements in user satisfaction and reduce EHR-related burnout.