Physician Burnout in the Electronic Health Record Era
Authors: N. Lance Downing, David W. Bates, Christopher A. Longhurst
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2019)

Letters5 February 2019Physician Burnout in the Electronic Health Record EraN. Lance Downing, MD, David W. Bates, MD, MSc, and Christopher A. Longhurst, MD, MSN. Lance Downing, MDStanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (N.L.D.), David W. Bates, MD, MScBrigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (D.W.B.), and Christopher A. Longhurst, MD, MSUniversity of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, California (C.A.L.)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L18-0604 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:Dr. Girard cites a prospective study comparing the attitudes and emotions of physicians from Australia and the United States (1). We agree that these findings show similar qualitative experiences between U.S. and Australian trainees and strengthen the argument that differences in clinical documentation reflect systemic differences, such as those involving regulatory requirements. Anecdotes of U.S. physicians who have practiced abroad suggest similar conclusions (2). Additional research into differences between clinicians' experiences in other countries would help define what policies may mediate provider burnout.Dr. Kapoor's argument that EHR vendors need to prioritize usability is valid, but the incentives ...References1. Gordon GH, Girard DE, Hickam DH. Comparison of mood changes and satisfaction among first-year medical residents in three programs. J Med Educ. 1987;62:428-30. [PMID: 3573023] MedlineGoogle Scholar2. DeWitt DE. A tale of two countries: how I saw more patients with more joy in internal medicine practice. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166:669-70. [PMID: 28346950]. doi:10.7326/M17-0244 LinkGoogle Scholar3. Sinsky CA, Privitera MR. Creating a "manageable cockpit" for clinicians: a shared responsibility. JAMA Intern Med. 2018;178:741-2. [PMID: 29582080] doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.0575 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. DiAngi YT, Lee TC, Sinsky CA, Bohman BD, Sharp CD. Novel metrics for improving professional fulfillment. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:740-1. [PMID: 29052698]. doi:10.7326/M17-0658 LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (N.L.D.)Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (D.W.B.)University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, California (C.A.L.)Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M18-0139. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoPhysician Burnout in the Electronic Health Record Era: Are We Ignoring the Real Cause? N. Lance Downing , David W. Bates , and Christopher A. Longhurst Physician Burnout in the Electronic Health Record Era Donald E. Girard Physician Burnout in the Electronic Health Record Era Mukesh Kapoor Metrics Cited byEmpowerment for the Digital Transformation: Results of a Structured Blended-Learning On-the-Job Training for Practicing Physicians in GermanyClinical Information Systems and ApplicationsPhysicians' perceptions about narrative note sections format and content: A multi-specialty surveyHealth information technology and clinician burnout: Current understanding, emerging solutions, and future directionsImpact of electronic health records on predefined safety outcomes in patients admitted to hospital: a scoping reviewSex Differences in Electronic Health Record Navigation Strategies: Secondary Data AnalysisUsing a New Model of Electronic Health Record Training to Reduce Physician Burnout: A Plan for ActionFormal representation of patients' care context data: the path to improving the electronic health recordPatient-Centric Scheduling With the Implementation of Health Information Technology to Improve the Patient Experience and Access to Care: Retrospective Case-Control AnalysisPhysician Integrity, Templates, and the 'F' WordUnintended Consequences of Nationwide Electronic Health Record Adoption: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post-Meaningful Use Era 5 February 2019Volume 170, Issue 3Page: 216-217KeywordsDisclosureElectronic medical recordsEmotionsMedicareMotivationProspective studies ePublished: 5 February 2019 Issue Published: 5 February 2019 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2019 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...