Hard-to-Use EHRs May Result in Patient Harm

Recent research published in JAMA Network Open highlights the correlation between the usability of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and their effectiveness in identifying and preventing medical errors that could potentially harm patients. The study emphasizes that EHR systems perceived as challenging to use may struggle to detect and address critical safety issues. Within EHR systems, healthcare professionals encounter alerts, reminders, and clinical guidelines intended to guide decision-making. However, the study underscores that these notifications often prove more distracting than beneficial. This raise concerns that the design of embedded safety features within EHRs might be suboptimal. The research outcomes reveal that EHR systems rated as difficult to operate also underperformed in safety assessments. Experts involved in the study estimate that medical errors in hospitals cause injuries to as many as 400,000 individuals annually. There was a prevailing expectation of EHRs would mitigate such issues, but these findings suggest the need for improved EHR usability and safety features to enhance patient care.